• ;. 

' ■ '■-".,... 

.-'/;"-'■ v. - ■: -v.'.x. r—. 

/';•••■•'•■•■■- 

-"•'••-' : ..^ ••■ BffiK .;' .' 

~ • ■-'-" '■••■' ■•■" 

■''••"•'•""" 

— ,■.•-; 

•• - 

'■■•:".','''•.' 

'".■'-•" ^: ■■'■ ■- 

;■•.■■■.■■••'.-■:• 

.;.;.;..;■•-•,■.-. 

ill - : 
BBSS 

j WWHpi'iw ' H 

■•■■-■"- -'•■- . ■ ,; 

.dBMllilll 

■■•',■ ; ::p. •'.:■:'.. ■■ 



! .-'.:' : -'-'.'.- 






.-••/-■-•••'-'• 
DJ lgfaC M i) l M fi t t i i n t ; 'M44*f>a| 




IRELAND'S CONFESSIONS. 



J^rorU,ist) i&oe. 



The Quintain - Seal. 




S.PorCtrsc. 



.1 /^^ ArftW-*y* ^>^f c ^tf r& ^ 









1 



«ClH B THE 

CONFESSIONS 

OF 

WILLI AM-HENRY IRELAND 

CONTAINING 

THE PARTICULARS OF HIS FABRICATION 

OE THE 

§>fmfcspeate manuscripts ; 

TOGETHER WITH 

ANECDOTES AND OPINIONS 

OF MANY DISTINGUISHED PERSONS 

' IN THE 

Literary, Political, and Theatrical World. 

a fleto edition 

WITH AN INTRODUCTION BY 
EICHAKD GRANT WHITE 

AND ADDITIONAL FACSIMILES. 



Mk2M$ L 



NEW YOKK: 4 
JAMES W. BOUTON, 706, BKOADWAY. 
1874. 



(A 



<9° 



4*> 



Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1874, 

By JAMES W. BOTJTON, 

In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington. 



DIRECTIONS TO THE BINDEB. 

Stitch the large Engravings at the lower part of 
the plate, and then fold them in. 

The Quintain Seal is to face title-page. 
Shakspeare's Autographs are to face p. L 

Plate I. is to face p. 75. 

Plate II. to face p. 80. 

Plate III. to face p. 86. 



Plate I. 

No. I. Part of Queen Elizabeth's pretended Letter 
to Shakspeare ; copied from the facsimile in 
" Miscellaneous Papeks," <fec. 

No. II. Conclusion of a Letter from Queen Eliza- 
beth to James the Sixth of Scotland. MSS. 
Cotton. Caligula. C. ix. p. 307. 

No. III. Conclusion of a Letter from the same 
Queen to a person unknown. MSS. Cotton. 
Vespasian. E. 3. p. 13. b. 

Plate II. 

No. XXII. Part of Lord Southampton's 'pretended 
Letter to Shakspeare; copied from " Miscel- 
laneous Papees." 

No. XXIII. Part of a genuine Letter from Lord 
Southampton to Lord Keeper Williams, in 1621. 
MSS. Harl. 7000. p. 46. 

No. XXIV. Part of a genuine Letter from Lord 
Southampton to a person unknown, MSS. 
Cotton. Vespasian. E. 13. p. 311. 



VI DIRECTIONS TO THE BINDER. 

Plate III. 

No. IV. Superscription of Lord Southampton's pre- 
tended Letter to Shakspeare. Copied from 

" Miscellaneous Papers," &c. 
No. V. A pretended Eeceipt given by John Heminges 

to Shakspeare. Prom the same Collection. 
No. VI. A genuine Autograph of John Heminges ; 

from a deed executed by him in 1617-18. 
No. VII. Two lines of a theatrical Account, pretended 

to have been written by Shakspeare ; copied from 

"Miscellaneous Papers," &c. 
No. VIII. A pretended autograph of Shakspeare ; 

copied from the same Collection. 
No. IX. Part of Shakspeare' s pretended Letter to 

Lord Southampton. 
No. X. A new Autograph of Shakspeare ; from a 

Deed executed by him, March 10, 1612-13, in 

the possession of Albany Wallis, Esq. 
No. XL XIL XIII. Autographs of Shakspeare, 

copied from his "Will. 
No. XIV. Autograph of Eichard Burbadge, from a 

deed executed by him, Dec. 22, 1593. 
No. XV. Autograph of John Duke, the player ; from 

Henslowe's MS. 
No. XVI. Autograph of Joseph Taylor, the player ; 

from a deed executed by him in 1612. 
No. XVII. Autograph of Nat. Pield, the player ; 

from a Letter written by him. 
No. XVIII. Autograph of Chapman, the poet, from 

Henslowe's MS. 
No. XIX. Autograph of B, Hathwaye, the poet, 

from Henslowe's MS. 
No. XX. Autograph of Massinger, the poet, from an 

original Letter. 
No. XXI. Autograph of Eobert Dudley, Earl of 

Leycester. 



INTRODUCTION. 



In the annals of literary imposture, there 
is not a more striking instance of boldness 
on the one side and downright gullibility 
on the other, than that which is known 
to Shakespearian Students as the Ireland 
Forgeries. The contriver and perpetrator 
of these forgeries, was a young fellow in his 
eighteenth year, having but a moderate 
acquaintance with literature of any kind 
(even for one of his age), with very little 
knowledge of that of the Elizabethan period, 
and ignorant, entirely and absolutely 
ignorant, of the paleography, of the man- 
ners and customs, and even of the ortho- 
graphy of the period to which the papers 
that he produced pretended to belong. 
On the other hand, his dupes were, the 
most of them, men of mature years, of 
literary training, and strangest of all, in 
many cases scholars who had made the 



Vlll INTRODUCTION. 

literature of the Shakespearian period their 
special study. Notwithstanding these ex- 
traordinary conditions, his success was for 
a while almost complete. Only a very few 
scholars and Shakespearian critics stood out 
against the authenticity of the manuscripts 
which he brought forward with a rapidity, 
which, alone should have alarmed credulity, 
supplying as he did, every want that was 
expressed, complying with every hint that 
was dropped, every suggestion that was 
made, and doing this with such unfailing 
promptitude and precision, that, looking 
back now at his proceedings, we wonder 
that, all other occasions of doubt apart, his 
dupes did not see that he was deceiving 
them to order, and that he was practising 
literally upon the maxim, Populus vult 
decipi et dicipiatur. 

There is yet another reason for astonish- 
ment at the success of such a clumsy 
literary forgery. For only a few years had 
passed since " the marvellous boy" Thomas 
Chatterton, who was to William Ireland 
as an eagle to a mousing owl, had delighted 
and deceived the literary world with his 
famous Rowley manuscripts, the intrinsic 



INTRODUCTION. IX 

merit of which, no less than the cleverness 
of their execution, was as far above Ireland's 
stupid and awkward performances as his 
ability and (notwithstanding his deceit) 
his moral tone were above the others. 
This imposture had been thoroughly ex- 
posed, and the poet-forger, dying by his 
own hand in abject wretchedness of soul 
and body, had been in his grave only 
twenty-five years, neither he nor his im- 
posture forgotten (for editions of the Rowley 
poems and critical discussions as to their 
authenticity had been published at brief 
intervals since poor Chatterton's first 
venture), when an attorney's clerk older 
than Chatterton was even at his death, but 
still a boy, began to figure before the world 
in the person — of all men — of William 
Shakespeare. 

Shakespeare himself has given us the 
key to the mystery of such a success. As 
" a jest's prosperity lies in the ear of him 
that hears it," so the success of an impos- 
ture depends chiefly upon the receptive 
disposition of those who are selected as its 
victims. In the last quarter of the last 
century, London was just in the mood to 



X INTRODUCTION. 

receive eagerly and credulously, any plau- 
sible pretence of discovery in the field 
of Shakespearian research. Shakespeare 
had first then attained that pinnacle of 
fame, to which succeeding years have only 
confirmed his title. Thirty years before, 
a crowd of more or less intelligent wor- 
shippers, led by David Garrick, had cele- 
brated Shakespeare's birthday at Stratford- 
on-Avon, in a harmless but somewhat 
ridiculous jubilee, the fervour of which was 
somewhat dampened by a pouring rain ; 
and from that time forward, the fever grew 
apace. Shakespearian comment and an- 
notation grew with it. Editors criticised 
Shakespeare and each other ; not always 
with equal love, if with equal wisdom. 
Commentators attacked editors, dipping 
their pens in gall, and finding their in- 
spiration in draughts spiced with venom. 
Books of plays and poems in the Elizabethan 
period began to rise in price, owing to the 
demands of Shakespearian collectors, who 
were then as now not always Shakespearian 
students. Bookstalls were overhauled, gar- 
rets and lumber rooms were ransacked ; 
and happy was he who unearthed some 



INTRODUCTION. XI 

black-letter play or pamphlet, worthless 
except for the fact of its having been 
written in the days of good Queen Bess 
or Gentle Jamie. Enough of Shakespeare's 
mulberry lay seasoning in cabinets, to have 
furnished beams and rafters for the restor- 
ation of New Place, then levelled with the 
ground. Portraits of Shakespeare of more 
or less inauthenticity, were brought forward 
for the delight of curious eyes ; and upon 
their claims to attention, articles and even 
books were written. Then Alderman 
Boy dell, afterwards Lord Mayor, an art 
publisher and picture dealer, who " had / 
a taste," and also a fortune, was preparing 
to bring out that stupendous and stupid 
series of illustrations of Shakespeare's 
dramas, which, notwithstanding the large 
sums he received for it, brought him to 
ruin. 

It was upon a public in this mood that 
the young son of Samuel Ireland, well 
known as a dealer in antique books and 
prints, was tempted to palm off a series 
of papers, professing to be written by 
Shakespeare or by his friends and contem- 
poraries in relation to him, and which begin- 



Xll INTRODUCTION. 

ning with aJease to which the dramatist's 
signature was forged, and rising to the manu- 
scripts of King Lear and of Hamlet, cul- 
minated in a tragedy never before heard of, 
"Vortigern," which was actually produced 
at Drury Lane Theatre, as Shakespeare's, 
with John Philip Kemble in the principal 
part ! From this height, the young im- 
postor fell suddenly and headlong. The 
play was damned on its merits, and just 
then Malone had completed ancj published 
his " Inquiry into the Authenticity of 
Certain Miscellaneous Papers, &c.," which 
exploded the whole ridiculous sham, and 
left all concerned in it, whether as actors or 
as dupes, the laughing-stock of the world 
for ever after. 

When we look at the papers that young 
Ireland produced, the history of the fab- 
rication of which is given with naif detail 
in the following pages, it is amazing that it 
was thought necessary that a Shakespearian 
scholar of Edmund Malone's acquirements 
and ability, should write an octavo volume 
of more than four hundered pages, to prove 
that the " Miscellaneous Papers and Legal 
Instruments under the hand and seal of 



INTRODUCTION. Xlll 

William Shakespeare" (for that was the 
title under which an account of them with 
facsimiles was published by this young 
fellow's father) were spurious. The two 
books are the best evidence that could be 
produced of the great advance that has been 
made, not only by special students, but by 
the whole literary class in the knowledge 
of English Literature and antiquities. 
Were such papers as Ireland's brought 
forward now as manuscripts of Shake- 
speare's day, not to say as the product of 
his own hand, they would not receive 
serious attention for an hour. And even 
at that time they should have been brushed 
aside at once as the products of combined 
ignorance and impudence. Their very 
orthography ought to have been sufficient 
warrant for such treatment, even by the 
merest sciolist. What would any man who 
is but slightly read in the literature of the 
Elizabethan period say, if he were asked to 
accept as genuine the following professed 
" Address to the Readers" of King Lear ? — 

" Iffe fromme Masterre Hollinneshedde I 
have inn somme lyttle deparrtedde fromme 



XIV INTRODUCTION. 

hymme, butte thatte Libbertye will notte 
I truste be blamedde bye mye gentle 
Readerres. 

"W M Shakspeare." 

Such English, and, moreover, such spell- 
ing, is not only absurd as the production of 
Shakespeare's age, but as that of any other. 
Malone showed, what there should not have 
been a day's necessity for his showing, that 
this is the spelling of no period of English 
literature. It is merely the product of a 
very ignorant person's attempt to imitate 
old spelling by a copious addition of double 
consonants and final e's to all the words to 
which he could venture to add them. The 
whole imposture was of a piece with this. 
There was not a line of it that was more 
worth serious attention. Malone showed 
that in these papers were some words that 
were unknown in the Elizabethan period, 
and others used in senses then undeveloped 
from them. It may be worth our while to 
examine, with him, one brief, but very 
characteristic specimen of these forgeries. 
It is a pretended autograph letter from 
Queen Elizabeth to the player and play- 
wright. 



INTRODUCTION. XV 

" Wee didde receive your prettye verses 
goode Masterre William through the hands 
off our Lorde Chamberlayne & wee do 
complemente thee orme theyre great ex- 
cellence. Wee shalle departe fromme Lon- 
donne toe Hampstowne forre the holydayes, 
where wee shalle expect thee with thy 
beste Actorres that thou mayeste playe 
before ourselfe toe amuse usse bee notte 
slowe butte come to usse bye Tuesdaye 
nexte asse the lord Leycesterre wille be 
withe usse. 

" Elizabeth B." 

Apart from the spelling of this letter, 
which is simply ridiculous, particularly 
masterre, actorres, forre, asse, and usse, and 
from, the fact (astonishing when we consider 
the circumstances under which, the purpose 
for which, and the success with which, it 
was produced) that the handwriting in no 
part bears the least resemblance to that of 
Elizabeth, it contains words which would 
prove it spurious, even if its spelling were 
that of its pretended period, and its hand- 
writing a perfect imitation of that of the 
person by whom it professes to have been 



XVI INTRODUCTION. 

written. Compliment, as a verb conveying' 
an expression of approbation, esteem, and 
pleasure, was not in use before the death 
of Elizabeth, and is almost unknown in 
literature until nearly fifty years later. - A 
like objection holds good against amuse, in 
the sense of " divert/' " entertain agree- 
ably." In Elizabeth's time, and for a gene- 
ration later, amuse was a reflective verb, 
meaning, "to be absorbed in thought up- 
on f " to be wrapt up in." A man himself 
was amused in this or that subject, but he 
never amused another, either seriously or 
jocosely. The meaning of the word then 
was much like that which is now expressed 
by bemuse. Another word in this letter, 
ourselfe, has a very strange look in writing 
of its professed date. It was then rarely 
if ever written other than as two words, 
our self; until late in the seventeenth cen- 
tury we find my self, thy self and so forth. 
It is not surprising that an ignorant young 
attorney's clerk should make these mis- 
takes, or that in writing manuscripts, which 
professed to be of Shakespeare's time, he 
should use accede, upset, and composition, 
in the sense of a writing, or that he should 



INTRODUCTION. XV11 

make Shakespeare style a nobleman, and 
lie but an earl (Southampton), "his Grace/' 
or that he should write down sums of 
money in Arabic numerals, all of which are 
glaring anachronisms. And altogether dis- 
regarding such evidence as we have as to 
Shakespeare's habits, and equally indiffe- 
rent to the dramatic custom of the time, 
he makes him, on the one hand, carefully 
docket and file away the letter which he 
receives, and on the other, engage in the 
publication of his plays, at least in so far 
as to be concerned about the opinion of his 
readers. That William Ireland should 
have made such blunders is not surprising, 
but that he should nevertheless have filled 
all London, and indeed all reading Eng- 
land, with excitement over his wonderful 
discoveries, and have numbered scholars 
and critics of not undeserved eminence 
amongst his dupes, is passing strange. 
But he gave these people only what they 
were craving, and were eager to swallow, 
and as they cried for more he fed them ac- 
cording to their appetite and capacity of 
belief. Some idea of the "intelligent 
public's " state of mind in the last respect, 

b 



Xvill INTRODUCTION. 

and of the unbounded presumption of the 
young adventurer, may be gathered from 
the facts that he professed to be able to 
produce Shakespeare's library, to the ex- 
tent of ten or eleven hundred volumes, and 
also a full length portrait of him, painted 
in oil colours. Moreover, he declared that 
the unknown gentleman, living in a name- 
less place, in whose house he asserted that 
he had all these wonderful, priceless, and 
theretofore unheard-of things, said, that as 
they had been bequeathed by Shakespeare 
to a friend named William Ireland (by a 
deed forged by this young fellow), and as 
William Henry Ireland (the forger) was a 
direct descendant of the former, they were 
his by right of descent ! 

All this monstrous stuff was believed 
even by such men as Parr, and Wharton, 
and Chalmers. It is quite in character 
that Dr. Johnson's " Bozzy," after a tum- 
bler of warm brandy and water, should 
utter his Nunc dimittis, because he " had 
lived to witness that day," and that he 
should kneel down, and suiting the action 
to the word, say, " I now kiss the invalu- 
able relics of our bard, and thanks to God 



INTRODUCTION. XIX 

that I have lived to see them ;" but that 
Parr or Wharton should have been so im- 
posed upon by the pretended profession of 
faith by Shakespeare, as to pronounce it 
superior to anything in the Liturgy of the 
English Church, is indeed amazing. The 
capacity of unquestioning belief, and the 
eagerness to be deceived on the part of 
some of those men, and they by no means 
the least learned, received its crowning 
illustration when on the first publication of 
the impudent young fabricators confession 
of his imposture, they refused to believe 
him, and insisted that his confession was 
false, and that the papers were genuine. 
A new controversy arose, but it was almost 
entirely on one side, the controvertists 
being mostly Ireland's dupes. There were 
defences, and apologies, and refutations, the 
titles of all of which are embalmed in the 
catalogues of Shakespeariana, the books 
themselves being now never looked at ex- 
cept by professed Shakespearian critics and 
commentators, hardly even by them, so en- 
tirely dead is the question which they dis- 
cussed with so much bitterness, and in 
some cases with no little acuteness and 

6—2 



XX INTRODUCTION. 

learning. The most interesting of them all 
is Chalmers's " Apology for the Believers in 
the Shakespeare Papers," which, directed 
against Malone in a very carping, sneering 
spirit, is not without value to the student of 
Elizabethan literature, although it did not 
materially aifect the soundness of Malone s 
argument.* The latter, however, had the 
advantage — singular in such controversies 
— of being confirmed by the full and mi- 
nute confession of the culprit, whose guilt 
was its object of proof — a confession which 
is, in itself, one of the most amusing and 
instructive revelations of human credulity 
in the annals of literature. And thus this 
astonishing imposture collapsed, even more 

* Malone ushered in his book with these two quo- 
tations : — 

" It is plain that in this slippery age we live in, it 
is very easy to make a book look as old as you would 
have it." — Lord Chief Justice in Lady Ivy's case: State 
Trials, vol. vii., p. 572. 

11 But hear me further : Japhet, 'tis agreed, 

"Writ not, and Chartres scarce could write or read, — 

In all the courts of Pindus guiltless quite ; 

But pens can forge, my friend, that cannot write." 

Pope. 

Counsels, these, which 'all lovers of old books and 
manuscripts- would do well, and would have done well, 
to bear in mind ; but which have been sadly neglected, 
as we shall see. 



INTRODUCTION. XXI 

suddenly than it had been puffed up. It 
was the ruin of a very clever young man, 
one, who if he had not been branded by 
the stigma of imposture, might have 
achieved an honourable position in litera- 
ture. Worse plays than " Vortigern" have 
been performed with success. It could not 
sustain the name he laid upon it, but an 
inferior reputation would not have been in- 
jured by its authorship, although this young 
fellow wrote it in two months. 

Ireland's was the first Shakespearian for- 
gery of importance. The last which has 
been discovered and fully proved had for 
its object only the establishment of the 
periods at which some of the plays were 
written, by a record of their performance 
at court at certain dates. An account of 
the circumstances of this forgery seems 
appropriate in this place. Little was said 
about it at the time of the discovery ; the 
most that was revealed having been told in 
an article in the London Athenceum, and 
even that consisted chiefly of extracts from 
the book in which the forged record was 
first published, with the announcement that 
the professed record of the performances at 



XX11 INTRODUCTION. 

court had been pronounced a forgery. The 
affair is of so much interest that I shall 
tell the story as I learned it from the Rev. 
Alexander Dyce. 

So long ago as the year 1842, Mr. Peter 
Cunningham, a clerk in the Audit Office, 
Somerset House, London, a gentleman cf 
some literary and antiquarian acquirements, 
edited a volume entitled, "Extracts from 
the Accounts of the Revels at Court in the 
Reigns of Queen Elizabeth and King James 
L, from the Office Book of the Masters 
and Yeomen." This volume was published 
by the Shakespeare Society, in the council 
of which were the Marquis of Normandy, 
Lord Francis Egerton (Earl of Ellesmere), 
the Reverend Alexander Dyce, Mr. John 
Payne Collier, Mr. George L. Craik, Mr. 
James Orchard Halliwell, Mr. William 
Macready, Mr. Henry Milman, Mr. Henry 
Talfourd, Sir Frederick Madden, Mr. 
Thomas Wright, and Mr. Cunningham 
himself. The council of the society did not 
assume any responsibility for the opinions 
expressed in the books it published ; but 
it was responsible for the genuineness of 
what it gave its members for their fees and 



INTRODUCTION. XXU1 

dues ; that is, that its books should be 
what they professed to be, and from this 
responsibility the council never shrank. 
The social and literary position of its mem- 
bers was such, that the genuineness of what- 
ever bore its imprimatur was accepted with- 
out question. Mr. Cunningham's book was a 
reprint of the accounts and expenditures 
from the royal privy purse for masks, revels, 
plays, and interludes, at court, from the 
year 1517 to 1612. The particularity of 
the entries in the account books, and the 
fact that they extend over the time which 
is known as the Elizabethan period of our 
drama, made this volume one of much in- 
terest to every student and lover of English 
dramatic literature. 

But two of the little account books which 
Mr. Cunningham republished contained four 
pages which excited more interest than all 
the rest together. For on three pages of 
the book for 1604 — 5 were records of the 
performance at the palace " by his majesties 
plaiers " of these plays among others : 
" The Moor of Venis " " A play of the 
Merry Wives of Windsor" "A play called 
' Mesur for Mesur/ " " The play of Errors," 



XXIV INTRODUCTION. 

" A play of Loves Labours Lost " " Henry 
the Fift" "A play of the Marchant of 
Venis ;" and in the margin which professed 
to give the names of "the Poets wch mayd 
the plaies " these were said to have been 
written by " Shaxberd." In another ac- 
count — that for 1611 — 12 — " A play called 
the ' Tempest ; " was recorded as having 
been performed on Hallowmas night, and 
one " called ' Ye Winters Night Tayle ' n 
as having been presented on the 5th of No- 
vember. Contemporary record as to Shake- 
speare and his works is so rare that these 
were accepted as of no small value, not the 
least of which was that they were of ser- 
vice in determining the date of the produc- 
tion of some of Shakespeare's plays, as to 
which we have no direct evidence ; and for 
twenty-five years this part of Mr. Cunning- 
ham's reprint of the " Account of the 
Revels at Court " was accepted without 
question as authority by Shakespearian 
scholars. 

The story about the book had passed out 
of mind, though not out of memory, when 
in the summer of 1868 an oldish, broken 
down man appeared at the British Museum 



INTRODUCTION. XXV 

and presented for sale a manuscript volume 
which contained, he said, records of much 
value about the early English drama and 
which "his friend Mr. Collier said was worth 
sixty guineas." This man was Peter Cun- 
ningham ; and the volume was that one of 
the " Revel's Accounts " which contained 
the record of the performance of nine plays 
by " Shaxberd." The volume was retained 
for examination before purchase, was found 
to be public property, and was of course 
held as such. So interesting a volume at- 
tracted the attention of the experts of the 
Audit Office, and they very soon discovered 
that although the book was genuine, that 
part of it which was of greater interest 
than all the rest, the leaves containing the 
record of the performance of Shakespeare's 
plays was a forgery, a gross forgery from be- 
ginning to end. Sir Thos. Duffus Hardy of 
the Rolls Court, than whom there was no 
better authority in England, not excepting 
Sir Frederick Madden himself, so pronounced 
it, and so did the distinguished Shake- 
spearian scholars, the Rev. Alexander Dyce 
and Mr. J. O. Halliwell, although they had 
founded part of their editorial labours upon 



XXVI IXTROD UCTIOX. 

it. As to the other book, the accounts of 
1611—12, in which " The Tempest " and 
"A Winters Tale " are mentioned, there 
appears to have been some doubt. In the 
Audit Office and by Sir Thos. Duffus Hardy, 
that also was, I believe, held to be a 
forgery ; but other experts believed that it 
was genuine. It is to be remarked that 
the former and more important entries were 
made upon two leaves lying loose in the 
volume, and that these leaves, and these 
only of all the volume had in the margin 
the names of the writers of the plays. 
There was other writing upon the margins, 
generally mere index words for convenience 
of reference ; but here only in the course 
of thirteen books, which when put into 
print make two hundred and twenty-six 
octavo pages, w T as the name of the author 
of a play, mask, or interlude given. This 
circumstance in itself, of which no notice 
seems to have been taken when the book 
was published, casts great suspicion upon 
the pages on which these records appear ; 
and when it is found that they are loose 
and were never bound into the volume, 
suspicion approaches certainty. But the 



INTRODUCTION. XXV11 

evidence of the writing itself is held to 
settle the question at once for any person 
familiar with old manuscript. 

It seems very strange that all this passed 
unnoticed when the volume was published. 
Sir Frederick Madden, Mr. Halliwell, Mr. 
Dyce, Mr. Wright and Mr. Collier, all of 
them members of the Council of the Shake- 
speare Society, must, it would seem, either 
of them, have detected the forgery if they 
had given Mr. Cunningham's old book ten 
minutes' proper examination. It must be 
that it was accepted upon his word and his 
recommendation, and was printed and 
uttered to the world with the authority of 
the Society without any examination what- 
ever. But whatever their confidence in 
Mr. Cunningham's character and their 
knowledge of his position, it would seem 
that the natural interest of such men in 
such a matter would have led them, for 
their own pleasure and satisfaction, to look 
so closely at the old book that the spurious 
character of these leaves would have been 
at once detected. But the eagerness for 
personal details about Shakespeare and his 
plays, which has been the chief stock in 



XXV111 INTRODUCTION". 

trade of forgers from Ireland's time down, 
seems not to have failed even in this 
instance, and in such a body of men ; and 
the book was accepted and went forth 
without the expression of a doubt under 
the imprimatur of the Shakespeare Society. 
As to the authorship of the forgery, 
suspicion of course fell at once upon the 
man who had brought the old manuscript 
books to light and edited them, and who 
after so many years offered them for sale. 
Mr. Cunningham had a good position and 
was well connected. But for many years 
he had given himself up to habits which 
enfeeble the mind and often destroy the 
moral sense ; and it is quite possible that 
to the failure of his memory we owe the 
evidence which he furnished against him- 
self. His account of the old volume of 
accounts was, that he found it in the cellar 
of the Audit Office, Somerset House. 
Thus the first point against him was that 
he appropriated this valuable piece of pro- 
perty to himself, and after keeping it for 
twenty-five years offered it for sale as his 
own. No man of intelligence would have 
been so foolhardy in his sober senses. 



INTRODUCTION. XXIX 

Next it was found that in his published 
volume he omitted one genuine entry 
which clashed with the forgeries. And 
finally, Sir Thos. Duffus Hardy had in his 
possession a small sheet of paper on which 
were free — not traced — imitations of the 
hand-writing of several of the persons con- 
nected with the Revels in the time of James 
I. ; and these, it is quite certain, were made 
by Cunningham. And yet strangely enough 
this piece of evidence tells at first some- 
what in his favour. For this piece of paper 
is pasted in his own printed copy of the 
" Revels Book " which he edited ; and this 
volume he himself gave to — of all men in 
the world — Duffus Hardy, facile princeps 
of record readers, as he well knew ; no one 
better. But the explanation of his offer- 
ing to sell a stolen public record to the 
British Museum also explains this otherwise 
unaccountable conduct. The poor creature's 
brain had become so muddled, and his 
memory was so far gone, that he did not 
remember what he had done, and did not 
know what he was doing. 

The most important question in regard to 
this wretched affair is ; In what does it 



XXX INTRODUCTION, 

affect our supposed slender stock of know- 
ledge in regard to Shakespeare ? Happily 
it proves to be of very little consequence. 
The only points which the forged passages 
were supposed to have determined were the 
fact of the performance of certain of Shake- 
speare's plays before King James L, and 
the time before which some of them must 
have been written. The discovery of the 
forgery unsettles us as to not more than 
two of the latter, " Measure for Measure " 
and the " Tempest." For all the other 
plays mentioned in both the passages in 
question we have contemporary authority, 
which cannot be forged, as to their produc- 
tion before the date under which they ap- 
pear in the " Bevel Books." And if it 
should be found, as I am inclined to think 
it will, that the second book — the one 
without the names of the poets who made 
the plays in the margin, is genuine through- 
out, the date of production of only one 
play will lose the support it was supposed 
before to have. This is " Measure for 
Measure," which carries its period written 
plainly in its language and its versification. 
The presence of the one great name in the 



INTRODUCTION. XXXI 

margin should have awakened suspicion ; 
but it was such a captivating variety of the 
countless ways of spelling Shakespeare's 
name, that it won ready acceptance for the 

forgery. " By G ," said the facetious 

Mr. J. F., when the forgeries and their 
probable authorship were discussed in 
London, " I give Peter credit for such an 
ingenious misnomer as Shaxberd." As to 
the presentation of the plays at Court, that 
is a smaH matter. If King Jamie did not 
choose to have the " Moor of Venice/' 
"The Tempest," "The Merry Wives of 
Windsor," " Henry the Fifth " and " The 
Merchant of Yenice n performed before 
him, why, only so much the worse for King 
Jamie. 

And now let us hope we have got to the 
end of Shakespeare forgeries. But who 
knows ? They have been attempted again 
and again, have almost always been suc- 
cessful at first, but seem doomed in the 
end to detection. 

R G. W. 



PREFACE. 



IN the year 1796 I gave to the world a 
concise pamphlet, in which I avowed my- 
self the fabricator of the manuscripts at- 
tributed by me to Shakspeare. 

The papers themselves, and the cir- 
cumstances attending their production, 
had so highly excited the public curio- 
sity that the whole edition was disposed 
of in a few hours : and so great has since 
been the eagerness to procure a copy, 
that, though originally published at one 
shilling, a single impression has been sold, 
in a public auction-room, at the extrava- 
gant price of a guinea. 
A 2 



PREFACE. 



This fact was known to many of my 
friends, who in consequence have often 
expressed surprise that I did not repub- 
lish the pamphlet, and have frequently 
importuned me to do so : but the revival 
of the subject, I conceived, might rather 
tend to injure than benefit me as a li- 
terary character : besides, I had already 
suffered much from the agitation of the 
question, and had reason to wish it might 
for ever rest in peace. The consideration, 
however, that I do but injure my own re- 
putation by silently bearing a more than 
merited portion of obloquy has at length 
incited me to give a narrative of the facts 
in the order in which they occurred, and 
a simple relation of the motives as they 
arose and operated on my conduct, that 
the world may be enabled to judge be- 
tween my contemners and me, and that 



PREFACE. 

my character may be freed from the stig- 
mas with which it has so undeservedly 
been sullied. 

In the course of the ensuing pages will 
be found various anecdotes of the principal 
persons who rendered themselves conspi- 
cuous during the Shaksperian controversy. 
These I have frequently detailed in the 
circle of my friends, who have invariably 
stated the entertainment they have receiv- 
ed, and the full conviction that the public 
would experience an equal portion of 
amusement were the whole to be col- 
lected and placed before them in a publi- 
cation similar to the one which I have in 
the present instance adopted. 

Many of the poetic effusions inter- 
spersed throughout the subsequent pages 
were written with the intention of being 
handed to Mr. S, Ireland as the composi- 



PREFACE. 

tions of Shakspeare; but the avowal of 
the whole fabrication speedily following, 
they were never transcribed in the dis- 
guised hand : they have therefore re- 
mained ever since in their original state, 
and are now for the first time exposed to 
general view. 

To his Royal Highness the Prince of 
Wales I have ventured to dedicate an ef- 
fusion the genuine feelings of my soul ; 
for I have ever beheld in that august per- 
sonage a concentration of all the attri- 
butes which confer honour on the elevated 
station he was born to fill. 

To George Chalmers, esq., I have ad- 
dressed a letter, containing an apology 
for my literary imposition, and craving 
his pardon and that of the other respec- 
table gentlemen who thought with him, 
whose forgiveness I am anxious to ob- 



PREFACE. 

tain by the vindication of my own con- 
duct. 

In the anxious hope that nothing 
herein contained may tend to my detri- 
ment in the estimation of the public at 
large, I shall conclude these prefatory lines 
by referring my readers to the following 
pages for the proofs requisite to the full 
establishment of the positions stated at the 
end of the volume, and with a sanguine 
hope that my conduct will henceforth be 
regarded rather as that of an unthinking 
and impetuous boy than of a sordid and 
avaricious fabricator instigated by the 
mean desire of securing pecuniary emo- 
lument. 



CONFESSIONS 



WILLIAM-HENKY IKELA¥D. 



INFANCY, AND ME. HARVEST S ACADEMY. 

As the period of my infancy can be pro- 
ductive of no satisfaction to the public, it 
will be sufficient for me to state that I was 
born in London, and that the first semi- 
nary to which I was sent was Mr. Har- 
vest's, at the back of Kensington Square ; 
to whose parental kindness I am indebted 
for the first rudiments of my native lan- 
guage, and the mechanical art of wri- 
ting. 



PRIVATE THEATRICALS. 

At a very early period of life I certain- 
ly acquired a great fondness for theatrical 
pursuits, originating, I should conceive, in 
the friendship that subsisted between Mr. 
Samuel Ireland and the family of Mr. 
Linley (then one of the proprietors of 
Drury-lane theatre) ; by which means we 
had free egress at all times both behind 
and before the curtain of old Drury : and 
a circumstance which tended perhaps as 
much as any other to root this partiality 
was a private play which was performed at 
the then mansion of R. B. Sheridan, esq., in 
Bruton Street, at which was present a large 
party of the nobility. The piece selected 
on the occasion was the opera of The Gen- 
tle Shepherd, with Bon Ton ; the parts be- 
ing filled by young persons. My charac- 
ter, though of a trivial nature, did not di- 
minish the zest I felt on that occasion ; but, 
on the contrary, rendered my predilection 
for theatrical pursuits even more deter- 
mined. 



STUPIDITY WHEN A CHILD. 

During my childhood I was ever fond 
of making pasteboard theatres, but very 
averse to every thing like study and ap- 
plication. When at Mr. Shury 's academy, 
at Ealing, I was so very backward, that 
once, on going home for the vacation, I 
was made the bearer of a letter from Mr. 
Shury, wherein he acquainted my father, 
Mr. Samuel Ireland, that I was so stupid 
as to be a disgrace to his school, and that, 
as he found it impossible to give me the 
least instruction, he would much rather I 
should not return after the holidays, as he 
(Mr. Shury) conceived it was no better 
than robbing Mr. Ireland of his money. 

SOHO SCHOOL. 

I was for about twelve months at Dr. 
Barrow's academy in Soho Square ; but 
my constitution being very weakly, and 
the town air but ill according with my 
then state of health, it was deemed expe- 
dient to send me to a country academy. 
b 2 



I have mentioned this seminary, as one 
curious circumstance occurred. The an- 
nual play performed by the scholars of 
Soho school, at the breaking up for the 
vacation, happened to be Shakspeare's tra- 
gedy of King Lear ; and on my produc- 
tion of the spurious manuscripts, some 
years afterwards, the very drama fixed 
upon by myself, and which I wrote on 
old paper and in the disguised hand, with 
alterations, happened to be the tragedy 
of King Lear ; not that I recurred in the 
least to the piece so performed at the Soho 
academy : and this circumstance is noticed 
merely to show the strange coincidence 
of events which will frequently occur at 
different stages of our lives. 

RESIDENCE IN FRANCE. 

The happiest period of my life was spent 
in France, where I continued for about 
four years. My first residence was at 
Amiens in Picardy ; from whence I was 
removed to the college of Eu in Nor- 
mandy ; after which I visited Paris, &c. — 



When Mr. Ireland (after so long an ab- 
sence from my native country) visited the 
continent in order to conduct me to En- 
gland, I felt pained on quitting France ; and 
as if a presentiment had hung over me, I 
would fain have continued there for years. 
On my arrival in England I could scarce- 
ly speak my native language ; and for a 
length of time my conversation was so 
loaded with Gallicisms as frequently to 
render my meaning incomprehensible. 

ARTICLES ENTERED INTO WITH MR. WILLIAM 
BINGLEY, OE NEW INN. 

A certain period having elapsed -after 
my return from France, Mr. Samuel Ire- 
land deemed it expedient that I should be 
articled to a practitioner of the law ; and 
application was in consequence made to 
Mr. Bingley, of New Inn, who follows the 
profession as a conveyancer in chancery ; 
when, the terms being entered into, the 
articles were signed ; and I from that mo- 
ment attended his chambers, in order to ac- 
quire the necessary knowledge to enable 
B 3 



me, at a future period, to practise in the 
same branch of the profession. 

FIRST IMPRESSIONS. 

As many circumstances conjoined, du- 
ring some months, to urge my production 
of the first documents, I shall relate a few 
of those events ; which will tend to prove 
that the idea of imitating the hand- writing 
of Shakspeare gradually took possession of 
my mind, without my having been aware 
of the fact. 

From the period of my arrival from 
France I had daily opportunities of hear- 
ing Mr. Samuel Ireland extol the genius of 
Shakspeare, as he would very frequently in 
the evening read one of his plays aloud, 
dwelling with enthusiasm on such passages 
as most peculiarly struck his fancy. x4.t 
such periods, there was no divine attribute 
which Shakspeare did not possess, in Mr. 
Ireland's estimation : in short, the Bard of 
Avon was a god among men. However 
young I might be at that period, these 
very frequent praises lavished on our poet 



led me to the perusal of his matchless 
works : and, although silent myself upon 
the subject, I nevertheless paid the greatest 
attention to every statement made by Mr. 
Ireland ; thus gradually imbibing a similar 
fondness and veneration for every thing 
that bore a reference to the mighty father 
of the English stage. 

PREDILECTION FOR OLD BOOKS. 

As Mr. Samuel Ireland was very partial 
to antiquities of every description, and 
particularly old books, I had hourly op- 
portunities of remarking the satisfaction 
which the possession of any rarity gave 
Mr. Ireland. This naturally impressed it- 
self on my mind ; and in consequence 
I became a follower of similar pursuits : 
which was soon a source of the greatest 
emulation, as nothing gave me so much 
gratification as exciting Mr. Ireland's as- 
tonishment on my production of some 
rare pamphlet which chance or research 
had thrown in my way. Even Mr. B*ndl*y 
of the Stamp office, a well-known col- 
B 4 



lector, who frequently called in Norfolk 
Street, on learning the rare tracts, &c, 
which I had collected, would request me 
to produce some of them ; and on such 
occasions he would commend my pursuit, 
and express his astonishment at my good 
fortune. From these circumstances I ac- 
quired a real taste for the pursuit, which I 
followed with indefatigable zeal. 

LOVE OF CHIVALRY. 

This fondness for ancient books con- 
sequently led me to peruse their con- 
tents ; Chaucer being among the first : 
after which, various old romances and tales 
of knights-errant excited my attention, to 
such a degree that I have often sighed to 
be the inmate of some gloomy castle ; or 
that having lost my way upon a dreary 
heath, I might, like Sir Bertram, have 
been conducted to some enchanted man- 
sion. Sometimes I have wished that by 
the distant chime of a bell I had found 
the hospitable porch of some old monas- 
tery, where, with the holy brotherhood, 



having shared at the board their homely 
fare, I might afterwards have enjoyed up- 
on the pallet a sound repose, and, with the 
abbots, blessing the ensuing morn, have 
hied me in pursuit of fresh adventures. 

GEOFFREY CHAUCER. 

The following is a specimen of one of 
my early imitations of the versification of 
that period. 

ACEOSTIC ON GEOEEEEY CHAUCEE, 

In the style of John Lydgate, a writer of that period, and a 
disciple and friend of the Father of English poetry. 

Lynesby thilke lerned clerke Dan Jan Lydgate, a monke of 
Burye, wrotenn on his freynde and maisterr Geoffrey 
Chaucer. 

Con I yn rythms thilke clerke's fame make knowen, 
Hondlynge so poorlee thys my quille 
As rathere makes me hys fame kille ; 
TJnlesse yt bene that gratefull minde alone 
Con trumpe hys praise ; since butt for hym I owne 
Endlesse indeede had bene the travaile untoe mee 
Eyghte praisse and thankes to offerr thus yn poesie. 



B 5 



10 



FONDNESS FOR OLD ARMOUR. 

As knights were always clad in steel, I 
did not merely confine myself to that sim- 
ple knowledge ; but, having perused Grose's 
volume on Ancient Armoury, I became a 
collector of helmets, breastplates, gorgets, 
cuisses, &c. ; and any part of the suit which 
w r as deficient, I, like a second Quixote, 
made up for with pasteboard. Thus was 
my bedchamber a regular armoury ; and 
on many occasions, when the moon has 
shone upon a full suit, I have sat upright 
in my bed, and pictured scenes from my 
lord Orfords Castle of Otranto, &c. 

Percy's ballads. 

Although not partial to modern printed 
books, the subject matter of Dr. Percy's 
Relics of Ancient Poetry was a sufficient 
inducement for my becoming its possessor : 
nor has the infinite gratification I experi- 
enced on its first perusal diminished even 
to the present moment. I need scarcely 
add, that the poems contained in the vo- 



11 

lumes here alluded to gave additional zest 
to those pursuits whereto my mind was so 
entirely riveted. 

LOVE AND MADNESS. 

I cannot call to mind on what occasion 
Mr. Samuel Ireland read aloud some of 
the letters in Mr. Herbert Croft's very 
entertaining work under the above title ; 
but I perfectly well remember that the 
conversation turned upon Chatterton ; 
and, from the circumstances then curso- 
rily mentioned, I was prompted to per- 
use the above work ; when the fate of 
Chatterton so strongly interested me, that 
I used frequently to envy his fate, and de- 
sire nothing so ardently as the termination 
of my existence in a similar cause. Little 
did I then imagine that the lapse of a few 
months was to hold me forth to public view 
as the supposed discoverer of the Shak- 
sperian manuscripts. 



12 



ACROSTIC ON CHATTERTON. 

The following acrostic was penned 
shortly after my perusal of Mr. Herbert 
Croft's production* 

Comfort and joy 's for ever fled : 

He ne'er will warble more ! 
Ah me ! the sweetest youth is dead 

That e'er tun'd reed before. 
The hand of Mis'ry bow'd him low ; 

E'en Hope forsook his brain : 
Relentless man contemn'd his woe : 

To you he sigh'd in vain. 
Oppress'd with want, in wild despair he cried 
'No more I'll live !' swallow'd the draught, and died. 

CHATTERTON AND THE BLACK-LETTER BIBLE. 

Some time after my discovery of the 
whole Shaksperian imposition, I quitted 
London, and remained for some weeks in 
the vicinity of Bristol. Curiosity naturally 
prompted me to visit the chamber in the 
turret of St. Mary Redcliff church where- 
in were deposited the papers to which 
Chatterton must have had access, and from 
which he pretended to have drawn his 
Rowley's poems. It contained the old 



13 

chests, which were empty ; being in every 
other respect a cheerless stone room.— 
After inspecting this chamber, I waited 
upon Mrs. Newton, Chatterton's sister ; 
who, as usual, produced the letters re- 
ceived from her brother, which she styled 
the only remaining relics of her dear 
Thomas. After having given them a very 
careful perusal (from which many proofs of 
fraternal affection were apparent), I pro- 
ceeded to make more minute inquiries 
respecting Chatterton than were usually 
made by the few strangers that were 
prompted from curiosity to visit her. My 
questions and her answers, as nearly as I 
can recollect, were to the following effect. 

" Do you call to mind any circumstance 
of a particular nature respecting your 
brother when a child ?" 

" He was always very reserved, and 
fond of seclusion : we often missed him 
for half a day together ; and once I well 
remember his being most severely chas- 
tised for a long absence : at which he did 
not, however, shed one tear, but merely 



14 

said ' It ivas hard indeed to be ivhippedfor 
reading \ 9 n 

" Did he ever betray any extraordinary 
symptoms when young V 

"No others, sir, than what I have stated; 
except, indeed, that he was taught his let- 
ters from an old black-letter Bible, and 
would not take his lesson from any book 
of modern type." 

This circumstance very forcibly struck 
me, and 1 endeavoured to acquire more 
knowledge on this head, but she recol- 
lected nothing at all interesting. 

At the period when the Rowley papers 
had first come to light (as he averred), she 
informed me as follows : — " My brother, 
sir, had frequently brought home old 
parchments, deeds and other things, which 
were accounted of no value : and one day, 
having a use for them, I during his absence 
cut up several of them for threadpapers, 
and others to cover the schoolbooks of 
children : and while thus occupied, Tho- 
mas Chatterton came home. On per- 
ceiving what I had done, he threw himself 



15 

into the most violent passion, saying that 
I had destroyed what would have been to 
the family a fortune for ever ; and in- 
stantly seising the books and threadpa- 
pers, collected them all together, and took 
them up stairs into his own chamber : after 
w^hich they were never seen or heard of." 

From the contiguity of their residence 
to Redcliff church, she also told me, he 
continually frequented the interior of that 
Gothic structure, where he would sit for 
hours, reading, beside the tomb of Canning ; 
but this circumstance was at that time 
scarcely noticed. He was also frequently 
employed in ascending the towers of the 
church ; where he would also read conti- 
nually. 

As to his person, his sister said that he 
was thin of body, but neatly made ; that 
his features were by no means handsome, 
and yet, notwithstanding, the tout-ensemble 
was striking ; which arose, she conceived, 
from the wonderful expression of his eyes, 
and more particularly of the left eye, 



16 

which, to use her own words, seemed at 
times, from its brilliancy, " to flash fire/' 

She then proceeded to acquaint me 
that some malevolent aspersions had been 
thrown out as to his moral character, and 
particularly his being partial to the so- 
ciety of abandoned women, which she 
positively denied, with tears in her eyes ; 
stating that he was the best and most 
tender of brothers, never enjoying so 
much satisfaction as when he could pre- 
sent them some little token of his affec- 
tion ; that he always kept good" hours at 
night, to her certain knowledge ; and that 
by day he was by far too much taken up 
with books and his occupations to be a 
loose character. — As to his having a pre- 
dilection for some female, she told me she 
believed that to have been the case ; but, 
to the best of her knowledge, and from her 
soul (she assured me) she spoke it, no stain 
whatsoever could attach itself to his moral 
conduct. 

Thus much I gleaned concerning the 



17 

unfortunate and neglected Chatterton ; 
whose talents I revere, and whose fate I 
commiserate with unfeigned tears of sym- 
pathy ; who, had he lived, would have un- 
doubtedly ranked with the first men of 
genius that have graced our isle. 

CHATTERTON AND THE BOOKSELLER. 

Having called upon a bookseller in a 
bye street, among other topics I enter- 
ed into conversation with the master of 
the shop respecting Chatterton, when the 
bookseller informed me that he well re- 
membered the subject of my inquiry : 
after which he stated as follows respecting 
him : — That Chatterton, after school hours, 
had been in the habit of frequenting his 
shop ; and that, not having money sufficient 
to make purchases, but his family being 
well known, he was* permitted to take from 
the shelves any volume he chose to select : 
that he did not confine himself to any 
particular head, but perused promiscu- 
ously works on religion, history, biogra- 
phy, poetry, heraldry — and, in short, the 



18 

most abstruse treatises on every subject. 
The master of the shop also informed me 
that he frequently made transcripts, but 
was never communicative ; merely bow- 
ing his head as he entered the shop, and 
making a similar obeisance on retiring. 

MR. SAMUEL IRELAND*^ WARWICKSHIRE AVON. 

Having explained the various pursuits 
that occupied my boyish mind, and ac- 
counted for the first predilection I imbibed 
for the productions of Shakspeare, I shall 
now proceed to state such circumstances 
as immediately preceded my production 
of the manuscripts. — When Mr. Samuel 
Ireland had determined on making draw- 
ings illustrative of a work which he had it 
in contemplation to publish, on the pic- 
turesque scenery of the river Avon, I was 
made the companion of his journey; con- 
cerning which I shall state nothing ex- 
cepting what relates to our bard ; which 
circumstances, as will appear from the 
ensuing statements, greatly conduced to 
the subsequent production of the papers, 



19 

by riveting on my mind a thousand little 
anecdotes and surmises respecting the sub- 
lunary career of our dramatic lord. 

JORDAN, THE STRATFORD POET. 

On Mr. Samuel Ireland's arrival at Strat- 
ford-on-Avon, he entered with the utmost 
avidity upon every research which might 
tend to throw any new light upon the his- 
tory of our dramatic bard : and in these 
excursions he was joined by a very honest 
fellow of the name of Jordan, who was 
bred up a carpenter, but having, or con- 
ceiving himself to possess, a spark of the 
Apollonian fire, he had dedicated himself 
to the Muses, and was commonly deno- 
minated e ' the Stratford Poet." This civil 
inoffensive creature had not been idle, on 
the score of Shakspeare ; and had made 
frequent visits to the neighbouring villages 
and ancient houses, endeavouring if pos- 
sible to glean any new anecdote or tradi- 
tionary tale. 

The first person visited by Mr. Ireland, 
accompanied by Jordan the poet and my- 



20 

self, was an old shopkeeper, who resided 
nearly opposite to our inn (but whose 
name I have forgotten); he being in pos- 
session of the remains of the mulberry- 
tree, together with tobacco stoppers, busts, 
wafer seals, &c, all carved from the wood, 
which (like the pieces of the real cross in 
catholic countries) have so multiplied that 
I much fear a dozen full-grown mulberry 
trees would scarcely suffice to produce 
the innumerable mementoes already ex- 
tant. Mr. Ireland having purchased some 
of these bagatelles, and a goblet which had 
certainly been carved many years back, 
and in all probability from the original 
tree, for which he gave an adequate price, 
we left this manufacturer of Shaksperian 
relics, and repaired to the church. 

I think it necessary to state, that, al- 
though the events which took place at 
Stratford-on-Avon are arranged as if they 
had occupied no more than a single day, 
they notwithstanding kept Mr. Ireland a 
resident at that place for a week : during 
which period, I am fully convinced, not 



21 

one hour was spent but in the favourite 
pursuit ; while the conversations at our 
dinners and suppers were still of Shak- 
speare, the immortal and divine Shak- 
speare. 

STRATFORD CHURCH. 

On entering the church, which contains 
the ashes of our immortal bard, it would 
be impossible for me to describe the thrill 
which then took possession of my soul. — 
Mr. Ireland, as usual, began his delinea- 
tions of the monuments of Shakspeare, 
sir Thomas Lucy and John Coombe, which 
are in the chancel of Stratford church, and 
were afterwards engraved for Mr. Ireland's 
River Avon. While occupied on these 
drawings, he greatly reprehended the folly 
of having coloured the face and dress of 
the bust of Shakspeare ; which was in- 
tended to beautify it, whereas it would 
have been much more preferable to have 
left the stone of its proper colour. — Mr. 
Ireland also made application in order 
to be permitted to take a plaster cast 
from the bust ; which request had been 



22 

granted, on a previous occasion, to Mr. 
Malone ; but as it was necessary to peti- 
tion the corporation, and much time and 
perseverance being requisite, the idea was 
wholly relinquished. 

THE CHARNEL-HOUSE. 

As Mr. Ireland was very particular in 
his delineations of the three monuments, 
which occupied him for a considerable 
time, I strolled about the church ; and on 
returning to the spot where Mr. Ireland 
was engaged, being just opposite the door 
of the charnel-house, I pushed it open, 
when the largest collection of human bones 
I had ever beheld instantly struck my re- 
gard. On mentioning this circumstance 
to Mr. Ireland, he approached the spot, to 
be an eye-witness of the fact ; when he im- 
mediately remarked, that, if any such col- 
lection of bones was there at the time of 
Shakspeare, it was by no means improba- 
ble that they inspired him with a horror at 
the idea of so many remnants of the dead 
being huddled together in a vast heap, and 






23 

that he in consequence caused the follow- 
ing lines to be carved on the stone which 
covers his grave (being to the right of the 
charnel-house door, and directly under his 
bust), in order to deter any sacrilegious 
hand from removing his ashes. The lines, 
which are thus spelt and cut, run as fol- 
low : — 

LINES ON THE FLAT STONE COVERING SHAK- 

speare's GRAVE. 

G-ood Frend for lefus SAKE forbeare 
To diaa T-E Duft EncloAfed HEEe 
Blefe be T-E Man | fpares T-Es Stones 
And curft be He | moves my Bones. 

QUOTATION FROM HAMLET. 

That our bard had a great antipathy to 
the removal of the relics of the dead is 
not improbable ; since, in the grave- 
diggers' scene in Hamlet, the following 
remarks are so appropriate to the subject, 
and highly expressive of his detestation 
of such conduct. 

Ham. That scull had a^tongue in it, and could^sing 



24 



once ! — How the knave jowls it to the ground, as if it 

were Cain's jaw-bone, that did the first murder! 

This might be the pate of a politician, which this ass 
now o'er reaches ; one that could circumvent God : 
might it not ? 

Hor. It might, my lord. 

Ham. Or of a courtier ; which could say, Good 
morrow y sweet lord ! How dost thou, good lord? This 
might be my lord such-a~one's horse, when he meant 
to beg it : might it not ? 

Hor. Ay, my lord. 

Ham. "Why, e'en so : and now my lady worm's ! 
chapless, and knock'd about the muzzard with a sex- 
ton's spade ! — Here's fine revolution, an we had the 
trick to see't !— Did these bones cost no more the 
breeding, but to play at loggats with them ? Mine 
ache to think on't. 

Act V., Scene i. 

NEW PLACE. 

Mr. Ireland visited the site of the ground 
whereon stood Shakspeare's mansion, which 
was called New Place, and was burned 
down at the great fire which took place at 
Stratford-on-Avon, and is now walled 
round. It was in the garden belonging 
to these premises that the mulberry tree 
stood ; which was felled, many years since, 
by its then churlish owner, who conceived 
himself too much importuned by the cu- 



25 

riosity of strangers desirous of visiting the 
tree planted by the hand of Shakspeare. 

That our poet must have retired from 
London with a very handsome competence 
there can be little doubt, as this very New 
Place, wherein he had resided, was during 
the civil wars selected by Charles the 
First and his queen to be their residence 
during the continuance of the court at the 
town of Stratford-on-Avon. 

SHAKSPEARe'S BIItTH-PLACE. 

On visiting the lowly mansion which 
had given birth to our immortal drama- 
tist, Hart the butcher, the descendant of 
our bard by the female line, was still liv- 
ing. After much conversation with the 
old man, Mr. S. Ireland proceeded to make 
a correct drawing of the kitchen, wherein 
it is more than probable our great poet 
must have frequently been seated. A de- 
lineation was then taken of a little par- 
lour adjoining ; over the chimney-piece 
of which was a representation in plaster of 
David and Goliath, encircled with two rude 

c 



26 

poetical lines, which were then in the mo- 
dern hand, but had been lately altered 
from the black-letter characters in which 
they had originally appeared. It was in 
the tiling of this very house that the dis- 
covery was made of a profession of faith 
stated to be from the pen of John Shak- 
speare, the father of our bard, to which I 
shall allude on a future occasion. 

APPLICATION FOR THE PURCHASE OF THE BIRTH- 
PLACE OF SHAKSPEARE. 

At a period when the Shaksperian ma- 
nuscripts were in their zenith, I was given 
to understand, that, by the death of old 
Hart, the descendant of Shakspeare, the 
tenement at Stratford-on-Avon which had 
witnessed the birth of our immortal bard 
was to be sold : in consequence of which I 
made application, by letter, to the attorney 
at Stratford-on-Avon who was appointed 
to dispose of the dwelling : and for a pe- 
riod it was really my intention, could I 
have made it convenient, to become the 
purchaser of the mansion in question, as 
nothing at that period would have afforded 



27 

me so much gratification as the being in 
possession of the avowed birth-place of 
Shakspeare. A correspondence between 
myself and the attorney, relative to the 
purchase, in consequence took place ; 
after which the affair gradually died away. 

CLOPTON HOUSE. 

In consequence of the various inquiries set 
on foot by Mr. Ireland during his continu- 
ance at Stratford-on-Avon, he was at length 
given to understand, by some of the oldest 
inhabitants, that a tale was formerly told 
indicatory of some manuscripts having 
been conveyed for safety, at the time of 
the fire at Stratford, from New Place (the 
former residence of Shakspeare) to Clopton 
House, situated at a little distance from 
the scene of the conflagration. In conse- 
quence of this intelligence Mr. Ireland pro- 
ceeded to the mansion in question ; which 
proved to be of great antiquity. In one 
chamber was a very curious carved bed- 
stead of oak, with silk hangings. This, 
together with all the furniture of the apart- 
c 2 



28 

merit, was an heir-loom to the premises ; 
having been the gift of king Henry the 
Seventh to sir Hugh Clopton, who was 
one of the lord-mayors of London during 
the reign of that monarch. In this an- 
tique mansion were innumerable chambers 
furnished in a similar manner, many of 
them totally darkened to obviate the ex- 
pense of the tax upon window-lights ; and 
in the cockloft were piles of mouldering 
household goods, all of the same remote 
antiquity : among the rest was an embla- 
zoned representation, on vellum, of queen 
Elizabeth, the wife of Henry the Seventh, 
as she lay in state in the chapel of the 
tower of London, after having died in 
childbed ; which curious relic the then 
owner of Clopton House gave to Mr. S. 
Ireland, as a "picture which was in his 
opinion of no service, because, being on 
vellum, it would not do to light the 
fire!' 



29 



CHAPEL IN A GARRET. 

Near the cockloft just mentioned was a 
garret, the walls of which were adorned 
with rude paintings of scriptural subjects, 
hieroglyphical characters, and quotations 
from the New Testament. Among the de- 
signs, I recollect a large fish was delineated 
as being caught, and a hand drawing the 
string whidh. was attached to the hook in 
the fish's mouth. Under this curious design 
were the following lines of rude poetry in 
black-letter characters : they may be found 
in Weever s Funeral Monuments. — 

E2Sf)etI)er gou rfce gearlge, 

<©r goe to befc late, 
Remember Cijrtet 3)«Jiuj, 

Cijat fctefc ffor gout sake* 

From the inquiries made by Mr. Ire- 
land, we were given to understand that 
sir Hugh Clopton, or • his descendant, being 
a very staunch catholic, had gained per- 
mission to have this garret consecrated at 
the time of the reformation, that the cele- 
bration of mass might take place in secret. 

c 3 



30 

Having thus far digressed in my state- 
ment respecting the antiquity and great 
curiosity of this mansion, I shall again re- 
vert back to the general subject, and say, 

IF TRUE, WHAT A CONFLAGRATION ! 

The person who occupied Clopton 
House, and rented the lands belonging 
to the estate, was what is usually denomi- 
nated a gentleman-farmer ; rich in gold and 
the worldly means of accumulating wealth, 
but devoid of every polished refinement. 

On Mr. Ireland's arrival he introduced 
himself to Mr. Williams (for such was the 
gentleman's name) ; who invited us into a 
a small gloomy parlour ; where he was 
shortly given to understand, by Mr. Ire- 
land, that the motive of his visit was a de- 
sire to ascertain whether any old deeds or 
manuscripts were then existing, in any 
part of the mansion : and on a further 
statement, as to any papers of Shakspeare's 
being extant, the following was the reply 
made by Mr. Williams. — 

"By G — d I wish you had arrived a 



31 

little sooner! Why, it isn't a fortnight 
since I destroyed several baskets-full of 
letters and papers, in order to clear a 
small chamber for some young partridges 
which I wish to bring up alive : and as to 
Shakspeare, why there were many bundles 
with his name wrote upon them. Why it 
was in this very fire-place I made a roaring 
bonfire of them/' 

Mr. Ireland's feelings during this ad- 
dress, which were fully displayed in his 
countenance, may be more easily con- 
ceived than expressed : and it was with 
infinite difficulty he suffered Mr. Williams 
to proceed thus far; when, starting from 
his chair, he clasped his hands together, 
exclaiming 

" My G — d ! Sir, you are not aware 
of the loss which the world has sustained. 
Would to heaven I had arrived sooner !" 

As my father concluded this ejaculation, 

Mr. Williams, calling to his wife, who was 

in an adjoining chamber, and who instantly 

came into the apartment where we were 

c 4 



32 

seated (being a very respectable elderly 
lady), he thus addressed her : 

" My dear, don't you remember bring- 
ing me down those baskets of papers from 
the partridge-room? and that I told you 
there were some about Shakspeare the 
poet r 

The old lady immediately replied as 
follows, having, in all probability, heard 
Mr. Ireland's address to her husband : 

"Yes, my dear; I do remember it per- 
fectly well ! and, if you will ca]l to mind 
my words, I told you not to burn the 
papers, as they might be of conse- 
quence/' 

Mr. Ireland, after expressing his regrets, 
requested permission to inspect the small 
chamber in question ; which, however, con- 
tained nothing but the partridges. Hav- 
ing expressed a desire to go over the house, 
two lanterns were ordered up ; when every 
chamber underwent the strictest scrutiny ; 
during which research the before-mention- 
ed furniture, chapel, &c., came under our 



33 

cognizance ; but as to Shaksperian manu- 
scripts, not a line was to be found. 

VILLAGE OF SHOTEBT. 

As the cottage was still standing from 
whence our bard had married Anne Hath- 
away, we repaired to the village of Shote- 
ry, near Stratford, where it is situate ; still 
having for our guide the indefatigable Jor- 
dan, the Stratford poet. After making a 
drawing of the premises, Mr. S. Ireland 
conversed for a considerable length of time 
with its then possessors ; from whom he 
purchased a bugle purse, said to have been 
a present from our great poet to the object 
of his choice ; as also an old oak chair, 
wherein it was stated our bard was used to 
sit, during his courtship, with his Anne upon 
his knee. The Shaksperian chair, which 
had a place in Mr. Ireland's study on being 
conveyed to London, was perfectly well 
known to all the inspectors of the manu- 
scripts ; many of whom I have often seen 
seated therein to hear the perusal of the pa- 
pers ; and their settled physiognomies have 
c 5 



34 

frequently excited in me a desire for 
laughter which it has required every ef- 
fort on my part to restrain. 

THE CRAB TREE. 

As I have before mentioned Jordan the 
Stratford poet, I shall give the following 
transcript from his own manuscript, still in 
my possession, without any alteration of 
language, spelling, &c. : having merely to 
state, that w r e took a ramble to Bitford, 
mentioned in the account so delivered, 
where Mr. S. Ireland made a very correct 
drawing of Shakspeare's crab tree, and an- 
other of the town of Bitford ; both of which 
appeared in his Warwickshire Avon. 

Jordan's manuscript. 

" The following Anecdote of Shakspeare is tho a 
traditional Story as well authenticated as things of this 
nature generally are. I shall therefore not hesitate 
relating it as it was Verbally delivered to me. Our 
Poet was extremely fond of drinking hearty draughts 
of English Ale and glory'd in being thought a person 
of superior eminence in that profession if I may be 
alowed the phrase. In his time but at what period it 
is not recorded there were two Companys or fraternitys 



35 



of Village Yeomanry who used frequently to associate 
to gether at Bidford a town pleasantly situate on the 
banks of the Avon about 7 Miles below Stratford, and 
"Who boasted themselves Superior in the Science of 
drinking to any set of equal number in the Kingdom 
and hearing the fame of our Bard it was detirmined to 
Challenge him and his Companions to a tryal of their 
skill which the Stratfordians accepted and accordingly 
repaired to Bidford which place agreeable to both 
parties was to be the Scene of Contendtion But when 
Shakspeare and his Companions arrived at the distined 
spot to their disagreeable disapointment they found 
the Topers were gone to Evesham fair and were told 
that if they had a mind to try their strength with 
the Sippers, they were ther ready for the Contest, 
Shakesp? and his compainions made a Scoff at their 
Opponents but for want of better Company they 
agreed to the Contest and in a little time our Bard and 
his Compainions got so intollerable intoxicated that 
they was not able to Contend any longer and accor- 
dingly set out on their return to Stratford But had not 
got above half a mile on the road eer the found 
themselves unable to proceed any farther, and was 
obliged to lie down under a Crabtree which is still 
growing by the side of the road where they took up 
their repose till morning when some of the Company 
roused the poet and intreated him to return to Bidford 
and renew the contest which he declined saying I 
have drank with 

" Piping Peb worth*, Dancing Marston 
Haunted Hillborough, Hungry Gratfon 

* This village is about seven miles from Stratford, 



36 



Dadgeing Exhall, Papist Wixford 
Beggarly Broom* and Drunkenf Bidford." 

These eight villages, which are all per- 
ceptible from the elevated ground on which 
the crab tree stands, retain to the present 
hour the several appellations given to them 
in the above four lines. 

DEATH OF FOSTER POWELL, THE PEDESTRIAN. 

At the period of the signature of my ar- 
ticles, Mr. Bingley had one hackney- writer 
who constantly attended at chambers, as 
well as the celebrated Foster Powell, the 

and is to the present hour famed for the skill of its in- 
habitants on the pipe and tabor. 

* The above place is well known, in the present 
day, for the wretchedness of its soil : from which it is 
natural to infer that at the period of Shakspeare the 
other denominations given to the remaining villages 
derived their origin from some traditionary tale an- 
nexed to these several places. 

f A.s to the word drunken being prefixed to Bitford, 
the scene in which our bard had been engaged was 
sufficient in itself to justify him in applying the epi- 
thet: in addition to which, according to the above 
account, there were at that place two regular com- 
panies of drinkers, under the denominations of the 
Topers and the Sippers. 



37 

pedestrian, who was occupied in carrying 
such letters about the town as Mr. Bing- 
ley's business required. After some months 
the hackney-writer was discharged, and 
shortly after the death of Foster Powell 
occurred, when I was left alone at cham- 
bers ; to which circumstance I attribute in 
a great measure the scope which was af- 
forded me in the after production of the 
manuscripts ; for, had there been any com- 
panion with me in chambers, it would have 
been utterly impossible that I should have 
accomplished the fabrication which on a 
subsequent occasion met the public view. 

MIXTURE OF THE SHAKSPERIAN INK. 

About six months previous to my at- 
tempting the Shaksperian papers, when I 
had not the smallest idea of embarking in 
that most arduous undertaking, I happened 
to purchase a small quarto tract, written 
by a gentleman of Lincoln's Inn, and de- 
dicated by him to queen Elizabeth. The 
work in question contained a set of pray- 
ers, and was adorned round the margin of 



38 

each page with a very spirited wood-cut 
border, in the style of queen Elizabeth's 
prayer-book — a work well known to all col- 
lectors of curious volumes of that nature. 
These borders were carefully emblazoned, 
and the tract bound in vellum, with Eliza- 
beth's arms stamped in gold on the cover, 
together with various other ornaments. 

As the work was dedicated to the queen, 
and as from the appearance of the internal 
emblazoning, covers, &c, it had very pro- 
bably once belonged to the library of that 
queen, I determined on endeavouring to 
establish it as the presentation copy from 
the author, whose name has now altoge- 
ther escaped my recollection. In order to 
compass this, I weakened some common 
ink with water ; and on a piece of old paper 
wrote a dedicatory epistle, as if from the 
author, to Elizabeth, requesting her gra- 
cious acceptance and countenance of his 
work. This letter I thrust between the vel- 
lum cover and the paper, which had origi- 
nally stuck to it but had then given way : 
but previous to my presentation of it to Mr. 



39 

Ireland, I went to a bookbinder of the name 
of Laurie, who had bound many books for 
me, and resided in New Inn Passage, with- 
in two minutes' walk of the gentleman's 
chambers under whom I was articled to 
study the law as a chancery conveyancer. 
To this Mr. Laurie I produced the letter 
in question ; and, as a proof that I had no 
very bad intention in having penned it, I 
unequivocally told him, with a smile, that 
I had just executed it, and was desirous of 
seeing how far Mr. Ireland would accredit 
it. — (I should have mentioned that two jour- 
neymen were present, and heard my unre- 
served conversation on the subject.) — Hav- 
ing requested to know what he thought of 
its appearance, Mr. Laurie stated, that it 
certainly seemed to him as if written many 
years back ; when one of the journeymen, 
looking at the manuscript, informed me 
that he could give me a mixture that would 
resemble old ink much more than that 
which I had used ; and, in consequence of 
my request, he immediately mixed toge- 
ther in a phial three different liquids used 



40 

by bookbinders in marbling the covers of 
their calf bindings. These ingredients be- 
ing shaken up produced a fermentation ; 
when, the froth having subsided, the liquid 
was of a dark brown colour. The young 
man then wrote his name with this mix- 
ture, but it was very faint on the paper ; 
however, on holding it for a few seconds be- 
fore the fire, the ink gradually assumed a 
very dark brown appearance. 

. Having paid him for his trouble, I wrote 
the dedicatory letter, and then presented it 
with the book to Mr. Ireland, who had no 
doubt as to its authenticity. It was with 
the same ink I afterwards wrote the Shak- 
sperian manuscripts. Their scorched ap- 
pearance originated in my being compell- 
ed to hold them to the fire, as before stated ; 
and as I was constantly fearful of interrup- 
tion, I sometimes placed them so near the 
bars as to injure the paper ; which was 
done in order to complete and conceal them 
as speedily as possible from any unexpect- 
ed person who might come suddenly into 
the chambers. 



41 



THE DILEMMA. 

At a period when the public mind was 
occupied with the Shaksperian papers, and 
the daily newspapers teemed with para- 
graphs on the subject ; when I was in the 
middle of my career, my ink failed me ; 
and although hazardous the procedure, I 
positively applied to the very same jour- 
neyman in Mr. Laurie's shop, who for a 
shilling prepared a second bottle of the be- 
fore-mentioned ink ; which circumstance 
was never mentioned either by Mr. Laurie 
or his workman, although the fame of the 
manuscripts was perfectly well known to 
them, and that I was the person sup- 
posed to have discovered them. I scarce- 
ly need remark, that the circumstance 
of the dedicatory letter to queen Eliza- 
beth, with the having twice procured the 
same liquid preparation, would in them- 
selves have been quite sufficient to over- 
turn the whole Shaksperian mass, and dis- 
play to the world the naked truth ; in the 



42 

research after which so much labour and 
criticism were expended. 

RELIEVO OE OLIVER CROMWELL. 

A very short time previous to the com- 
mencement of the suppositious manu- 
scripts, I found at an old broker's shop a 
very spirited head of Oliver Cromwell, mo- 
delled in terra cota, which I was given to 
understand was the workmanship of a young 
man who had been bred up as a statuary, 
but had early fallen a victim to a putrid fe- 
ver, which terminated his existence. To 
the back of this relievo, which was about 
the size of two hands when open, I affixed 
a piece of paper ; whereon I wrote, with 
some of the ink before described, a label, 
intimating that the head in question had 
belonged to Cromwell, and was a gift from 
himself to Bradshaw, whose signature I af- 
fixed to the superscription. 

On producing this plaster head to Mr. S. 
Ireland, it was shown to several persons 
eminent for their knowledge in sculpture, 



43 

who pronounced it as their firm opinion 
that the head in question must have been 
modelled by Simon, the justly celebrated 
artist who lived during the protectorship. 

One very extraordinary circumstance at- 
tending this transaction was, that the name 
of Bradshaw, which I had affixed at ran- 
dom to the label on the back of the bust, 
when compared with the autograph en- 
graved from the original death-warrant of 
Charles the First, proved to be as similar 
as possible. 

I need scarcely add that the relievo was 
deemed a very great curiosity ; and com- 
ing, as was supposed, from such hands as 
Cromwell's and Bradshaw's, was naturally 
conjectured to be a very striking resem- 
blance of the original. 

AN OPINION HAZARDED. 

Your rigid critics will undoubtedly be 
prompted to smile at the above statement, 
and ever after be led to deride the opinion 
of sculptors as to ancient performances. I 



u 

certainly will so far coincide with that opi- 
nion as to assert, that, if the model had 
been produced as the performance of the 
young man who really modelled it, a slight 
commendation would have been passed 
upon his merits by those very persons who 
attributed it to Simon, and there the mat- 
ter would have terminated. 

Now let me submit a simple proposition, 
The workmanship was produced as from the 
hands of Simon, Either it possessed merit, 
or it did not. If it did possess merit suffi- 
cient to entitle it to the name of that sculp- 
tor, the young artist was certainly a rising 
genius as a modeller : if it did not possess 
sufficient spirit, it was the name of Simon 
being annexed which made it pass current. 
— I am myself no modeller ; but, as far as 
nature goes, I can certainly form a judge- 
ment as to the execution of a relievo ; and, 
in my humble opinion, the hand of Simon 
could not have executed a more masterly 
and spirited head than that before men- 
tioned of the protector Cromwell. 



45 

So purblind, so unfeeling, is mankind, 
That living genius vainly boasts its mind ; 
But, 'ray'd in Time's erugo, sages praise, 
And give a modern Simon, Simon's bays. 

CONSEQUENCES OF THE TOUR. 

On Mr. S. Ireland's return from his tour 
down the Warwickshire Avon, the circum- 
stances before related had taken such root 
in my mind, that I was more partial than 
ever to the pursuit after antiquities of every 
description, and more particularly to every 
thing that bore the smallest affinity to our 
bard. Mr. S. Ireland's predilection for the 
name of Shakspeare seemed also to have in- 
creased by this visit to the birth-place of 
our mighty dramatist : his encomiums were 
unceasing ; and he would frequently as- 
sert, that such was his veneration for the 
bard that he would willingly give half his 
library to become possessed even of his 
signature alone. 



46 



A FRUITLESS HUNT. 

These conversations, so frequently re- 
peated, led me to search all the old deeds 
at the gentleman's chambers where I was 
articled, in order to see whether chance 
might not throw some instrument in my 
way bearing the autograph of Shakspeare. 
This step proved abortive ; in consequence 
of which I frequented the stalls of several 
venders of old paper and parchment, but 
all to no effect ; till, wearied at length, I 
relaxed in my pursuit, and for a short pe- 
riod thought no more of the business. 

FIRST STEP. 

I cannot recollect upon what particular 
occasion, but I rather think I had been oc- 
cupied in the perusal of the mortgage-deed 
formerly in the possession of David Gar- 
rick, esq., which is to be found printed in 
Johnson and Steevens's Shakspeare, when 
the idea first struck me of imitating the 
signature of our bard, in order to gratify 
Mr. Ireland. In consequence of this, I 



47 

made a tracing of the facsimiles of Shak- 
speare s signature, both to his will in the 
Commons and the deed before mentioned, 
which are to be found in the aforesaid edi- 
tion of Shakspeare's works. I also hastily- 
noted down the heads of this deed ; and 
thus fortified I repaired to chambers, in 
order to produce the instrument which 
speedily followed. 

WILLIAM SHAKSPEARE AND MICHAEL FRASER. 

Having cut off a piece of parchment from 
the end of an old rent-roll at chambers, I 
placed a deed before me of the period of 
James the First, and then proceeded to 
imitate the style of the penmanship as well 
as possible, forming a lease as between 
William Shakspeare and John Heminge 
with one Michael Fraser and Elizabeth 
his wife, whereto I affixed the signature 
of Shakspeare, keeping the transcript of 
his original autographs before me ; while 
the superscription of Michael Fraser was 
executed with my left hand, in order the 



48 

better to conceal it as being from the 
same pen. 

FORMATION OF SEALS. 

The contents of the lease being finished, 
and the signatures subscribed, I found much 
difficulty in annexing the seals, which, at 
the period of James the First, were not si- 
milar to those of the present day, being 
formed of malleable wax, and stamped upon 
narrow pieces of parchment hanging from 
the deed directly under the signatures. 
Having affixed the strips of parchment ac- 
cording to the method adopted in the reign 
of James, I in the first instance endeavour- 
ed to heat in a shovel the wax of some old 
seals which I had cut from deeds ; but this 
proved impracticable, as the wax, from age, 
having lost its moisture in a great degree, 
instead of melting rather crujnbled over the 
heat. At length I adopted the expedient 
of heating a knife, with which I cut an old 
seal in two without its cracking ; and hav- 
ing with a penknife carefully scooped a ca- 



49 

vity on the opposite side to that bearing 
the impression, I therein placed the strip 
of parchment pendent from the deed ; and 
having heated some wax of a less ancient 
date, I placed it when hot within the re- 
maining part of the cavity, and thus form- 
ed a back to the seal ; but as the fore and 
hind part of the seal, on account of the 
different ages of the wax, varied in co- 
lour, I again moistened the seal before the 
fire, and in that state rubbed soot and 
coal-ashes over it, which thereby became 
incorporated with the seal, and in a great 
measure screened the colour from obser- 
vation. 

Having with much labour and contri- 
vance accomplished the two seals, I deter- 
mined on presenting this first specimen to 
Mr. S. Ireland. 

I should not omit stating the reason 
why a deed was produced in preference 
to any loose paper which I might have 
formed without so much pains. The fact 
is, that I had no idea whatsoever of imi- 
tating the hand-writing of Shakspeare fur- 



50 

ther than the autograph in question ; nei- 
ther had I then the vanity of attempting 
any imposition in imitation of his style. 
In addition to these circumstances, a law 
instrument was assuredly the most calcu- 
lated to stamp validity on the signature 
produced. 

PRESENTATION OF THE DEED. 

It was about eight o'clock, being after 
my evening's attendance at chambers, that 
I presented the deed in question. Mr. S. 
Ireland's family were present ; and, if I 
mistake not, another person ; — the fact 
being precisely as follows : — I had placed 
the deed within my bosom ; when, after 
informing Mr. Ireland that I had a very 
great curiosity to show him, I drew it 
forth and presented it, saying — " There, 
sir ! what do you think of that ?" Mr. 
Ireland, opening the parchment, regard- 
ed it for a length of time with the strictest 
scrutiny : he then examined the seals ; and 
afterwards proceeded to fold up the in- 
strument ; and on presenting it to me he 



51 

replied — "I certainly believe it to be a 
genuine deed of the time." Returning it 
immediately into Mr. Ireland's hand, I 
then made answer — " If you think it so, 
I beg your acceptance of it." Mr. Ire- 
land, immediately taking the keys of his 
library from his pocket, presented them 
to me, saying — "It is impossible for me 
to express the pleasure you have given 
me by the presentation of this deed : there 
are the keys of my book-case ; go and 
take from it whatsoever you please ; I 
shall refuse you nothing." I instantly re- 
turned the keys into Mr. Ireland's hand, 
saying — " I thank you, sir ; but I shall ac- 
cept of nothing." Mr. Ireland, rising from 
his chair, selected from his books a scarce 
tract, with engraved plates, called " Stokes 
the Vaulting Master," which he peremp- 
torily insisted I should accept. And such 
was the precise manner of my presenta- 
tion of the fictitious deed between Shak- 
speare and Fraser, that being the first do- 
cument produced. 

D 2 



52 



THE QUINTIN. 

The morning after my presentation of 
the lease, the first person sent to by Mr. 
Samuel Ireland was sir Fr*d*r**k Ed*n, 
who, after a very strict examination of the 
deed, gave it as his decided opinion that 
the instrument was valid ; and on looking 
at the impressions on the seals, that under 
the signature of Shakspeare he affirmed 
was a representation of a machine called 
the Quintin ; for an account of which Stow 
the historian was referred to ; who states 
that the Quintin was used by the young 
men, in order to instruct them in the art 
of tilting on horseback with the lance ; the 
machine being constructed as follows : — 
An upright beam was firmly fixed in the 
earth, at the top of which was a bar placed 
horizontally, moving on a pivot. To a 
hook at one end of the bar was hung a 
large iron ring ; while from the other ex- 
tremity was suspended a large bag filled 
with sand. The object of the tilter was 
to unhook the ring, and bear it off upon 



53 

the point of his lance when at full gallop, 
which if he failed to accomplish with dex- 
terity, the bar moving swiftly on the pi- 
vot swang round the bag, which, coming 
in contact with the riders back, was al- 
most certain of unhorsing him. As this 
amusement seemed to bear so great an 
analogy to the name Shake-spear, it was 
immediately conjectured that the seal 
must have belonged to our bard ; and 
from that moment the Quintin was grave- 
ly affirmed to be the seal always used by 
our monarch of the drama. 

I shall merely state, that, on cutting the 
seal in question from an old deed at cham- 
bers, I never even looked at the impres- 
sion ; and, if such had been the case, I 
should not have known that the stamp on 
the wax represented the Quintin — a ma- 
chine of which I had never heard until 
after the delivery of the deed as before 
stated. 



d3 



54 



ORIGINAL MORTGAGE-DEED. 

Upon the full discovery of every cir- 
cumstance being made to Albany Wallis, 
esq., and my informing him, that, with the 
alteration of the names only, I had nearly 
worded my lease from the mortgage-deed 
formerly in the possession of David Gar- 
rick, esq. (which has been so frequently 
printed, and the words I had taken down, 
as before stated), Mr. Wallis in conse- 
quence referred to a copy of that deed ; 
and, on comparing it with Mr. Ireland's 
publication of the Miscellaneous Papers, 
wherein the spurious deed of Shakspeare 
and Fraser is printed, he was astonished 
on finding the similarity that existed be- 
tween them ; and expressed his wonder, 
that, out of so many persons conversant 
with everything relating to Shakspeare, 
and who had examined the papers, no one 
should have remarked the obvious pla- 
giary throughout the deed in question. 



55 



INCITEMENTS. 

Numerous persons flocked to Mr. Ire- 
land's house in order to inspect the deed, 
who all coincided with sir F. Ed*n in be- 
lieving the instrument valid ; and, after 
the lapse of some few days, it was hinted, 
that in all probability many papers of 
Shakspeare's might be found by referring 
to the same source from whence the deed 
had been drawn. This suggestion was fre- 
quently uttered in my presence : and be- 
ing thus urged forward to produce what 
really was not in existence, I then deter- 
mined on essaying some composition in 
imitation of the language of Shakspeare. 
I must, however, solemnly affirm, that had 
not such incitements been used, I never 
should have attempted a second docu- 
ment — my real object having been to give 
Mr. S. Ireland satisfaction : that wish ac- 
complished, my purpose was fully an- 
swered. 



D i 



56 



JOHN SHAKSPEARE S PROFESSION OF FAITH, 

Having frequently heard of the bigoted 
profession of faith found at the birth-place 
of Shakspeare, and said to have been writ- 
ten by John Shakspeare, our poet's fa- 
ther, wherein the effusions of the most de- 
termined catholic are expressed^ had re- 
course to the plan of writing a profession 
of faith for our bard, which I executed 
accordingly. 

A SHEET OF OLD PAPER. 

The sheet of paper on which the pro- 
fession of faith was written was the outside 
of several others, on some of which ac- 
counts had been kept in the reign of 
Charles the First ; and being at that time 
wholly unacquainted with the water-marks 
used in the reign of queen Elizabeth, I 
carefully selected two half sheets not hav- 
ing any mark whatsoever, on which I 
penned my first effusion ; keeping the fac 
similes of Shakspeare's original autographs 
before me. 



57 



SHAKSPEARE A CATHOLIC. 

Having the most rooted antipathy to 
every thing like superstition and bigotry, 
and having heard it very frequently sur- 
mised that our great poet, like his father, 
was no protestant, but of the catholic per- 
suasion (particularly on account of the 
language made use of by the Ghost in 
Hamlet as to purgatory*, &c), I deter- 
mined, if possible, to decide the point on 
the other hand, by making the profession 
of faith appear to be written by a sincere 
votary of the protestant religion. 

* Ghost. I am thy father's spirit, 
Doom'd for a certain term to walk the night, 
And for the day confin'd to fast in fires, 
Till the foul crimes doue in my days of nature 
Are burn'd and purg'd away. But that I am forbid 
To tell the secrets of my prison-house 
I could a tale unfold whose lightest word 
Would harrow up tby soul, freeze thy young blood, 
Make thy two eyes, like stars, start from their spheres, 
Thy knotty and combined locks to part, 
And each particular hair to stand on end 
Like quills upon the fretful porcupine. 

Act. I., Sc. t. 

d5 



58 



A COMPOSITION UNSTUDIED. 

As many encomiums were passed upon 
tlie following composition, I have thought 
it necessary to state, that the effusion was 
altogether unstudied, being committed to 
paper, in the disguised hand and redun- 
dancy of letters in the spelling, just as the 
thoughts arose in my own mind, without 
any previous transcript or subsequent al- 
teration whatsoever. 

The word leffee, which appears in this ar- 
ticle, and which was so much the subject of 
cavil, was intended to be leafless; and to 
the perturbation of the moment only is to 
be attributed that literal error, which was 
afterwards swelled into a flagrant proof of 
the invalidity of the composition as com- 
ing from the pen of Shakspeare. 

WILLIAM SHAKSPEARE's PROFESSION OF FAITH. 

I beynge nowe offe sounde Mynde doe hope thatte 
tbys mye wyshe wille atte mye deathe bee acceeded toe 
as I nowe lyve in Londonne ande as mye soule maye 
perchance soone quitte thys poore Bodye it is mye 
desire thatte inne suche case I maye bee carryed toe 



59 



mye native place ande thatte mye Bodye bee there 
quietlye interred wythe as little pompe as canne bee, 
ande I doe no we inne these mye seyriouse moments 
make thys mye professione of fayth and which I doe 
moste solemnly e believe I doe fyrste looke toe oune 
lovynge and greate God and toe hys gloriouse sonne 
Jesus I doe alsoe beleyve thatte thys mye weake 
ande frayle Bodye wille retturne toe duste butte forre 
mye soule iette God judge thatte as toe hymself e shalle 
seeme meete O omnipotente and greate God I am 
full offe Synne I doe notte thynke myselfe worthye 
offe thye grace ande yette wille I hope forre evene 
the poore prysonerre whenne bounde with gallyng 
Irons evenne nee wille hope for Pittye ande whenne 
the teares offe sweete repentance bathe hys wretched 
pillowe he then looks ande hopes forre pardonne 
thenne rouse mye Soule ande lette hope thatte sweete 
cherysher offe alle afiorde thee comforte alsoe O 
Manne whatte arte thou whye considereste thou 
thyselfe thus gratelye where are thye greate thye 
boasted attrybutes buryed loste forre everre inne colde 
Deathe O Manne whye attemptest thou toe searche 
the greatnesse offe the Almyghtye thou doste butte 
loose thye labourre more thou attempteste more arte 
thou loste tille thye poore weake thoughtes arre 
elevated toe they re summite ande thenne as snowe 
fromme the leffee tree droppe ande dystylle themselves 
tille theye are noe more God manne as I am 
frayle bye nature fulle offe Synne yette greate God 
receyve me toe thye bosomme where alle is sweete 
contente ande happynesse alle is blysse where 
dyscontente isse neverre hearde butte where oune 



60 



Bonde offe freyndshippe unytes alle Menne forgyve 
O Lorde alle oure Synnes ande withe thye greate 
goodnesse take usse alle to thye Breaste O cheryshe 
usse like the sweete Chickenne thatte under the 
coverte offe herre spreadynge Wings Eeceyve3 herre 
lyttle Broode ande hoverynge overre themme keepes 
themme harmlesse ande in safetye 

W m Shakspeare 

FORMATION OF LETTERS. 

In penning this profession of faith I 
formed the twelve different letters con- 
tained in the christian and sir names of 
Wm. Shakspeare as much as possible to 
resemble the tracings of his original au- 
tographs ; and I was also particular in 
introducing as many capital doubleyous 
and esses as possible. The other letters 
were ideal, and written to correspond as 
nearly as might be with the general style 
of the twelve letters used in Shakspeare's 
names as written by himself. 

VARIETY IN THE PENMANSHIP. 

As the penmanship of the profession of 
faith was my first essay beyond a simple 



61 

autograph, it was written with some cau- 
tion : but had any person minutely com- 
pared the style of writing therein produced 
with those manuscripts which were penned 
after I had acquired a facility in commit- 
ting to paper the disguised hand, he must 
instantly have discovered the difference ; 
which was, indeed, so obvious, that the 
hand producing the profession of faith 
would scarcely be thought, upon exami- 
nation, to have been the same that com- 
mitted to paper the great bulk of the ma- 
nuscripts. 

GENERAL OPINIONS. 

The opinions delivered as to the lan- 
guage of the profession of faith were una- 
nimous — every person allowing the ge- 
nuine feeling that breathed throughout 
the whole composition ; which, it was 
stated, fully evinced it to be from the 
pen of our great dramatist : nor was my 
satisfaction a little heightened on finding 
that this effusion banished at once every 
idea of Shakspeare's Catholicism from the 
minds of those whom I had frequently 



62 

heard hazarding that opinion as to his re- 
ligious tenets. 

" THUS BAD BEGINS, AND WORSE REMAINS BE- 
HIND." 

After the production of the profession 
of faith, I was much questioned as to the 
source from whence the manuscripts were 
drawn ; and it was then for the first time 
I began to discover the unpleasant predi- 
cament in which I had involved myself 
by the production of the papers ; for to 
screen a falsehood it was absolutely ne- 
cessary to have recourse to a second du- 
plicity : in consequence of which the fol- 
lowing story was framed, which was inva- 
riably told to every individual who re- 
quested satisfaction on that head. 

STORY OF THE UNKNOWN GENTLEMAN. 

I informed the public, that, having made 
an acquaintance at a coffeehouse with a 
gentleman of fortune, who was from my 
conversation given to understand that I 
had a great predilection for every thing 
like antiquity, he had in consequence re- 



63 

quested that I would pay him a visit ; 
stating at the same time that he had 
many old papers, which had descended to 
him from his ancestors, who had practised 
the law, among which some might in all 
probability be found worthy my notice, 
in which case he would willingly make 
me a present of them. I further added 
that a morning was appointed for my 
waiting upon him, but that, conceiving 
he might have only stated the above in 
order to turn me into ridicule, I did not 
pay any attention to the day specified ; 
but happening, some mornings after, to 
pass near his chambers, the circumstance 
came to my recollection, and I in conse- 
quence determined on paying my friend 
a visit. I then observed, that on my en- 
trance into the apartment the gentleman 
appeared rather hurt at my remissness in 
not having kept my appointment with 
him ; when, after a suitable apology, he 
desired me to go into an adjoining apart- 
ment, where I observed a vast collection 
of old deeds and papers tied up in bundles 



64 

and numbered, which I instantly began to 
inspect, when, after having looked ow 
some parcels, I discovered, to my utter 
astonishment, the deed between our bard 
and Michael Fraser, bearing the signature 
of Shakspeare. I then proceeded to state, 
that, my first surprise having subsided, I 
took the above-mentioned deed to my 
friend, who also appeared much asto- 
nished, not conceiving any such docu- 
ment had been in his possession ; that he 
remarked it was certainly a very curious 
instrument, but that having promised me 
every thing I should find worthy my no- 
tice, he would not be worse than his word, 
and, desiring only that I would make him 
a fair transcript in my own hand-writing, 
he told me the deed was at my service. 

Such was the manner in which I ac- 
counted for my having become possessed 
of the manuscripts, till further questioning 
produced the following additional tale. 



65 



ANSWER TO FURTHER DOUBTS. 

- r 

As the manuscripts became rather vo- 
luminous, great stress was laid upon their 
value, and it was thought a matter of as- 
tonishment how any man in his proper 
senses could think of giving away such a 
treasure. In order to reconcile inquirers 
to this objection, I stated that during my 
research among the deeds of my friend I 
had discovered one which established his 
right to certain property that had long 
been a subject of litigation ; on which ac- 
count he conceived the giving me the 
Shaksperian manuscripts no other than a 
just recompense for the service I had thus 
rendered him. 

CONCEALMENT OF THE SUPPOSED DONOb/s NAME. 

As every individual inspecting the pa- 
pers remarked that it would have been his 
pride to be known as the original possessor 
of the documents produced, I was in con- 
sequence questioned as to the name of the 
donor : my reply to which was to the fol- 
D 5 



66 

lowing effect ; , that the gentleman being 
possessed of a large fortune, and being 
well aware of the inquiries which must 
take place on the production of the papers, 
did not think fit to subject himself to the 
impertinent questionings of every indivi- 
dual who conceived himself licensed to 
demand an explanation concerning them ; 
that he in consequence gave me the docu- 
ments as mere curiosities, exacting from 
me at the same time a most solemn asse- 
veration that I would keep his name for 
ever concealed. 

And such was the method adopted to 
preclude every future inquiry as to the 
name and residence of the supposed ori- 
ginal donor of the manuscripts. 

DRS. P*RR AND WH*RT*N ON THE PROFESSION 
OF FAITH. 

Of the persons who visited Mr. Samuel 
Ireland when the manuscripts were not 
very voluminous, the above gentlemen 
were among the most conspicuous. On 
their arrival, Mr. Ireland was alone in his 



67 

study to receive them ; but, by the desire 
of the visitants, I was shortly after sum- 
moned before them, to answer interroga- 
tories. I confess I had never before felt 
so much terror, and would almost have 
bartered my life to have evaded the meet- 
ing : there was, however, no alternative, 
and I was under the necessity of appearing 
before them. Having replied to their 
several questionings as to the discovery of 
the manuscripts and the secretion of the 
gentleman's name, one of these two in- 
spectors of the manuscripts addressed me, 
saying, 

" Well, young man ; the public will 
have just cause to admire you for the re- 
search you have made, which will afford 
so much gratification to the literary 
world." 

To this panegyric I bowed my head, 
and remained silent. 

PERUSAL OF THE PROFESSION OF FAITH. 

While Mr. Ireland read aloud the pro- 
fession of faith, Drs. P*rr and Wh*rt*n 



68 

remained silent, paying infinite atten- 
tion to every syllable that was pronounced ; 
while I continued immovable, awaiting to 
hear their dreaded opinion. This effusion 
being ended, one of the above gentlemen 
(who, as far as my recollection can recal 
the circumstance, I believe to have been 
Dr. P*rr) thus addressed himself to Mr. 
Ireland : 

"Sir, we have very fine passages in our 
church service, and our litany abounds with 
beauties ; but here, sir, here is a man who 
has distanced us all !" 

When I heard these words pronounced 
I could scarcely credit my own senses ; 
and such was the effect they produced 
upon me, that I knew not whether to 
smile or not. I was, however, very for- 
cibly struck with the encomium ; and 
shortly after left the study, ruminating on 
the praise which had been unconsciously 
lavished, by a person so avowedly erudite, 
on the unstudied production of one so 
green in years as myself. 



69 



INCITEMENT OF VANITY. 

On entering the back dining-room, 
which was contiguous to Mr. Ireland's 
study, I reclined my head against the 
window frame, still ruminating on the 
words I had heard ; when vanity first took 
possession of my mind, to which every other 
consideration yielded : fired with the idea 
of possessing genius to which I had never 
aspired, and full of the conviction that 
my style had so far imitated Shakspeare s 
as to deceive two persons of such allowed 
classical learning as Drs. P*rr and Wh*r- 
t*n, I paid little attention to the sober 
dictates of reason, and thus implicitly 
yielded myself to the gilded snare which 
afterwards proved to me the source of in- 
describable pain and unhappiness. 

MR. P*WS*N AND THE PROFESSION OF FAITH. 

For the accuracy of the following state- 
ment I cannot avouch, not having been 
present upon the occasion ; but, from 
what was frequently stated, I was given to 



70 

understand that the above gentleman, after 
inspecting all the manuscripts then in Mr. 
Ireland's possession, appeared so perfectly 
well satisfied respecting them that Mr. 
Ireland was emboldened to demand of him 
whether he felt reluctance to subscribing 
his name among the list of believers in the 
validity of the manuscripts ; upon which 
occasion Mr. P*ws*n very drily made 
answer, 

" I thank you, sir ; but I never sub- 
scribe my name to professions of faith of 
any nature whatsoever." 

PURCHASE OF OLD PAPER. 

Being thus urged forward to the pro- 
duction of more manuscripts, it became 
necessary that I should possess a sufficient 
quantity of old paper to enable me to pro- 
ceed : in consequence of which I applied 
to a bookseller named Verey, in Great 
May's Buildings, St. Martins Lane, who, 
for the sum of five shillings, suffered me 
to take from all the folio and quarto vo- 
lumes in his shop the fly-leaves which 



71 

they contained. By this means I was 
amply stored with that commodity : nor 
did I fear any mention of the circumstance 
by Mr. Verey, whose quiet unsuspecting 
disposition I was well convinced would 
never lead him to make the transaction 
public ; in addition to which, he was not 
likely even to know any thing concerning 
the supposed Shaksperian discovery by 
myself ; and even if he had, I do not ima- 
gine that my purchase of the old paper in 
question would have excited in him the 
smallest degree of suspicion. 

THE JUG WATEK-MAUK, 

As I was fully aware, from the variety 
of water-marks which are in existence at 
the present day, that they must have con- 
stantly been altered since the period of 
Elizabeth, and being for some time wholly 
unacquainted with the water-marks of that 
age., I very carefully produced my first 
specimens of the writing on such sheets 
of old paper as had no mark whatsoever. 
— Having heard it frequently stated that 



72 

the appearance of such marks on the pa- 
pers would have greatly tended to esta- 
blish their validity, I listened attentively 
to every remark which was made upon 
the subject, and from thence I at length 
gleaned the intelligence that a jug was 
the prevalent water-mark of the reign of 
Elizabeth : in consequence of which I in- 
spected all the sheets of old paper then in 
my possession ; and having selected such 
as had the jug upon them, I' produced 
the succeeding manuscripts upon these ; 
being careful, however, to mingle with 
them a certain number of blank leaves, 
that the production on a sudden of so 
many water-marks might not excite su- 
spicion in the breasts of those persons 
who were most conversant with the ma- 
nuscripts. 

THE WITTY CONUNDRUM. 

Previous to the execution of the letter 
as from Shakspeare to Cowley the player, 
I had delineated the curious sketch of his 
head, with its appurtenances, which I pro- 



73 

duced it to my father, who seemed in- 
clined to turn it into ridicule as an inex- 
plicable paper and of no consequence. 
Finding such to be the case, I had re- 
course to the expedient of writing a letter 
as from Shakspeare to maister Cowley the 
player, which I pretended to have found 
during my research of the ensuing day, 
and w r hich epistle instantly reflected a de- 
gree of consequence on the witty conun- 
drum in question. 

DISQUISITIONS ON THE WITTY CONUNDRUM. 

As it was supposed that nothing could 
possibly come from the hand of Shakspeare 
which did not possess some sterling good, 
the witty conundrum became an object of 
learned investigation ; but all to no effect : 
for although many sapient opinions were 
hazarded as to its real meaning, nothing 
conclusive was decided upon : which is, in- 
deed, not at all to be wondered at, as when 
it was by me committed to paper I had 
no particular end in view, neither was 
there any meaning whatsoever annexed to 

E 



74 



the drawing of the supposed witty conun- 
drum. 

IMPROMPTU. 

How oft we find the wisest doat, 

And deem mere nought a treasure ! 
Age still admires a petticoat, 
As toys give infants pleasure. 
By this we must confess, however loth, 
Men are but babies of a larger growth. 

LETTER TO MAISTER COWLEY. 

By the very familiar style I adopted in 
the letter from our bard to Richard Cow- 
ley, supposed to have enclosed the witty 
conundrum, it was by all inspectors of the 
manuscripts asserted that Shakspeare must 
have been a kind good-natured character, 
and of a very playful disposition : nor can 
I omit making mention of the superscrip- 
tion to this epistle, which frequently ex- 
cited risibility : it ran as follows. — 

THE SUPERSCRIPTION. 

Toe Masterre Eichard Cowley 
dwellinge atte oune Masterre 
Hollis a draperre inne 
the Wattlynge Streete 
Londoune. 



75 



QUEEN ELIZABETH S LETTEIt. 

During the frequent conversations that 
took place after the production of the first 
documents, I heard peculiar stress laid by 
the honourable Mr. B***g on a letter sup- 
posed to have been written by James the 
First to Shakspeare, and which it was stated 
might be found among the papers ; but as 
so many conversations were held upon 
that subject, I thought the production of 
such a letter would be too obvious : in 
addition to which, I was totally unac- 
quainted with the writing and autograph 
of that monarch. I therefore determined 
on fabricating a letter from queen Eliza- 
beth to our bard : in the execution of 
which I was greatly facilitated by an ori- 
ginal autograph of that princess in Mr. S. 
Ireland's possession, which I could always 
procure without his knowledge, and from 
which I made a hasty tracing when alone. 
From the same facsimile I also formed 
the letters throughout my spurious epistle 
from that queen to Shakspeare. 
e2 



76 

My principal object in the production 
of this letter was to make our bard appear 
of so much consequence in his own time 
as to be personally noticed by so great 
and politic a princess as our Elizabeth. — 
As to the verses alluded to in my gra- 
cious epistle, they certainly never had ex- 
istence, to the best of my knowledge ; at 
any rate I may safely assert they could 
not have been one half so despicable as 
the wretched attempts at te he versifica- 
tion so facetiously introduced in Mr. Ma- 
lone's Inquiry — vide page 100. — 

" Each titled dame deserts her rolls and tea, 
And all the maids of honour cry te he /" 

However, for the sake of proving how 
far commentatorship is of utility, I refer 
the public to pages 101 and 102 of Mr. 
Malone's Inquiry, which arq literally filled 
with notes upon twenty-two lines of Grub- 
street poetry, of which the above couplet 
is a part. These lines are meant to convey 
sarcasm ; in which the writer has as well 
succeeded as in his attempt at poetry. 



77 



THE LAUNDRESS. 

It is a very curious fact, that the female 
who attended at the chambers where I was 
articled was present during the whole of 
my fabrication of Elizabeth's supposed 
letter ; which, when completed, I gave 
into her hands, and requested to know 
whether she would not have conceived it 
very old ; to which she replied in the affir- 
mative ; adding, with a laugh, that it ivas 
very odd I could do such unaccountable 
strange things, 

Had this circumstance been generally 
known, it would unquestionably have led 
to the developement of the whole Shak- 
sperian forgery. Indeed the same effect 
might have been produced by the disclo- 
sure of my fabrication of the dedicatory 
letter to the religious tract in the time of 
Elizabeth : or of my procurement of ink 
from the bookbinder's man : not to men- 
tion the quantity of old paper purchased 
by me : all which were facts known to in- 
dividuals who would have come forward 

e3 



78 

had not their pursuits been so diametri- 
cally opposite to every thing like litera- 
ture and a Shaksperian controversy. 

A SECOND HINT. 

To the same gentleman who gave me 
the first idea of writing a letter as from 
queen Elizabeth to our bard, by his fre- 
quent mention of the letter said to have 
been written by James (her successor) to 
Shakspeare, I am also indebted for the 
idea of writing a letter to lord South- 
ampton, with its answer, which origi- 
ginated in that gentleman's so frequently 
laying a stress on the supposed bounty of 
that nobleman to our bard, and the light 
which would be thrown on the fact should 
any document be discovered denoting the 
sum so given by his lordship. Profiting 
by this information, I took a fit oppor- 
tunity, and then produced 

COPY OF MY LETTER TO HIS GRACE OF SOUTH- 
AMPTON. 

On writing this letter, as in the case of 
the profession of faith, I kept the tracings 



79 

from Shakspeare's original autographs be- 
fore me, and so penned the epistle, with- 
out making any studied transcript, but 
merely committing my thoughts to paper 
in the disguised hand as they occurred to 
my mind. As I was, however, fearful 
that some document might afterwards be 
discovered tending to prove the exact sum 
sent by lord Southampton to Shakspeare, 
I thought it most expedient not to make 
mention of any specific donation, and 
therefore said, in the letter in question, 

" Doe notte esteeme me a sluggarde nor tardye for 
thus havynge delayed to answere or rather toe thank 
you for youre great e Bounty e " Sfc. 

Having completed the letter in que- 
stion, I was on the point of folding it up, 
and directing it to lord Southampton, 
when suddenly the following idea struck 
me. — 

A SECOND THOUGHT. 

As this letter of thanks was supposed to 
be sent by Shakspeare to lord Southamp- 
ton, how could it possibly revert back into 
the possession of our bard? — After some 
e 4 



80 

cogitation, I had recourse to the expedient 
of writing at the top of the letter " Copye 
of mye Letter toe hys Grace offe South- 
ampton : " to which transcript (supposed 
to have been kept by William Shakspeare) 
from the epistle believed to have been sent 
to his lordship, I affixed lord Southamp- 
ton's spurious answer. 

lord Southampton's answer. 

As I had not the smallest conception 
that any correspondence or autographs fo 
lord Southampton were in existence, and 
being indeed at that time totally unaware 
of the immense collections of ancient pa- 
pers that are extant throughout the king- 
dom, I conceived that I might with impu- 
nity give the letter in question in any 
style of writing I thought fit, and there- 
fore penned his lordship's gracious commu- 
nication with my left hand, that no simili- 
tude might appear between it and the copy 
of Shakspeare's epistle accompanying it. 
The mode of writing adopted by me in his 
lordship's letter will not, however, upon ex- 













'm- 



&M 



M 



(or. 



%m$cnv 



4C jsyOtAstr Co: a^&^-^f A< 
.^^-■-w-aA <&zi/Lo -^*vd<- 'Vn-i'-t 




•*<# 



V 



r^r Jo: <w*/ ^u^L ft^C i» /^-r^ ^^° t & 



JJ-fa f^M^L. fr-tx-™- kM^r#(/Cf / /V^-/(jL 
7 7 f' du<U 




81 

animation, be found so very dissimilar to the 
signature of Fraser on the spurious lease 
written with the same hand. Every per- 
son viewing the manuscripts was surprised 
at his lordship's miserable penmanship : 
and indeed, when compared with the fac- 
simile of his original autograph given by 
Mr. Malone in his Inquiry, nothing can 
be more opposite, as lord Southampton in 
reality did write a very neat intelligible 
hand. 

GENERAL OPINION. 

The letters in question were deemed 
highly curious and valuable, and the style 
of Shakspeare's was applauded beyond 
measure : but it was on all hands lament- 
ed that the exact sum so beneficently given 
by his lordship to Shakspeare was not 
therein specified, as in that case all doubts 
upon the subject would have been ended. 

LOVE-LETTER AND VERSES TO ANNE HATHAWAY. 

As our great dramatist was married very 
early in life to one Anne Hathaway of the 
village of Shotery (at no great distance 

E 5 



82 

from Stratford-on-Avon), I became desirous 
of introducing to the world one of his love 
effusions of that early period : on which 
account was penned his epistle to that 
lady, including five stanzas of poetry and a 
braid of hair supposed to have been sent 
to her as a token of his unalterable affec- 
tion. 

LOCK OE HAIK,. 

As the engraving of Shakspeare prefixed 
to the folio edition of his plays, and exe- 
cuted by Droeshout, represents our bard 
as having short, straight, and wiry hair, I 
selected a lock of a similar kind, then in my 
possession (which in my boyish days had 
been given me as a gage cV amour), con- 
ceiving it very appropriate to my purpose. 

SILK TWIST. 

Having purchased of one Yardley, a 
vender of old parchments in Clare Market, 
some patents of the reigns of Henry VIII., 
Mary, and Elizabeth, with the great seals 
of England pendent thereto (being affixed 
to the parchment with thick woven silk, 



83 

as was usually the custom at those periods, 
and being about four inches in length), 
the idea struck me that the use of one of 
the pieces of woven silk in question would 
give an imposing air of genuineness to the 
lock of hair. After putting this expedient 
into effect I wrote the letter to Anne Hath- 
away, wherein I laid great stress on the 
workmanship of the silk, as if executed by 
the hand of Shakspeare : the words ran as 
follow : 

" I doe assure thee no rude hande hathe knottedde 
itte, thje Willys alone hathe done the worke neytherre 
the gyldedde bauble thatte envyronnes the heade of Ma- 
gestye noenorre honourres moste weyghtye woude give 
mee halfe the joye as didde thysse mye ljttle worke 
for re thee." fyc. Sfc. 

I must confess that when I call to my 
recollection the numerous persons who in- 
spected the papers, and of course the lock 
of hair with its silken appendage, and who 
were in the daily habit of inspecting 
grants, charters, patents, &c, most of them 
having a similar twist in order to affix the 
great seal to the parchments, I am much 



84 

astonished that the silk in question should 
have never been remarked by any one 
frequenting Mr. Ireland's house. 

RINGS. 

Small quantities of the hair being care- 
fully taken from the original lock, were 
distributed into several rings ; but I shall 
refrain from making mention of their 
wearers : it is sufficient for me that they 
were believers in the authenticity of the 
manuscripts. 

MR. COLLET AND EDWARD THE FOURTH. 

A short time after the letter and the 
lock of hair had appeared, it was by some 
persons most ridiculously asserted that hu- 
man hair could not have resisted the lapse 
of time from Shakspeare's days to the pre- 
sent sera ; and in order to ridicule the af- 
fair, it was stated that one Mr. Collet, a hair 
merchant, was to come in all the pomp of 
his trade and scrutinise the Shaksperian 
curl. However, to terminate the dispute in 
question, it is well known that human hair 



85 

has been discovered in abundance on the 
heads of embalmed bodies which have re- 
mained centuries in the earth ; and in many 
instances it has even been found to grow 
after death : one proof of this is to be ad- 
duced, which was witnessed by many per- 
sons still living ; for when the vault of Ed- 
ward IV., who died in the year 1483, was 
discovered by chance in the chapel at 
Windsor, the hair of the head and the beard 
were found flowing, and as strong as hair 
cut from the head of a living person. I 
myself saw a piece of the hair taken from 
the beard of that monarch, which was very 
strong, and of a reddish colour. 

PROMISSORY NOTE OF HAND TO JOHN HEMINGES. 

One of the earliest documents produced 
to strengthen the validity of the fabricated 
mass, was a promissory note of hand ap- 
pearing to have been given to John He- 
minges by William Shakspeare as a com- 
pensation for business done at the Globe 
theatre, and for his great trouble in going 
down for him to Stratford-on-Avon. The 



86 

note of hand was payable at one month, 
and was for the sum of Jive pounds and Jive 
shillings English money. 

JOHN HEMINGES' RECEIPT. 

To this curious note I affixed a receipt 
with some wax, as from John Heminges, 
specifying the payment of the money on 
the very day the month expired ; from 
which it was generally conjectured that 
Shakspeare, in addition to his other good 
qualities, was very punctual in all pecu- 
niary transactions. This document was 
signed with my left hand ; and, however 
trivial it may be esteemed, proved in the 
end of infinite consequence, as will appear 
from the ensuing statements. 

JOHN HEMINGES' ORIGINAL SIGNATURE. 

When the manuscripts became volumi- 
nous and had excited general attention, 
having one day returned to Mr. Samuel 
Ireland's house at three o'clock (the pe- 
riod of my leaving chambers), I was, to my 
no small astonishment, informed as follows : 









'pty 




'die? ^y^C^-^ 5 ^^ 



"fy*^ | jffl<$f^*~> 






S^Wc^ c^Wv^^ zj^a^^^^l^^ 



1/^f' 



(SWobs-W 



(St4fj°^ 






\ /fuO^t^X *-■*■&} Jl-kff^ ' w-Ylf v%A^ ^t^ft* c 



££tO<> wv o/'i~vytt_ 



!<^M 



^/^ /^ee— gfM-r^ 



J r 




87 

—That Mr. Albany Wallis had been with 
Mr. Ireland about half an hour before, and 
had stated, with a smile, that he came to 
overturn at once all the Shaksperian dis- 
covery : that he (Mr. Wallis) then produced 
a deed signed by John Heminges, in a hand 
altogether different from that of the signa- 
ture affixed to my receipt ; which signa- 
ture, as before stated, had been committed 
to paper with my left hand, for at the 
period when it was fabricated I did not 
conjecture that any document bearing the 
autograph of John Heminges would ever 
appear to invalidate the suppositious one 
annexed by me to the receipt. 

On learning this circumstance I was ter- 
ror-struck, and immediately requested Mr. 
Ireland to accompany me down to Mr. 
Wallis's, in order that I might inspect the 
instrument in question, which had been 
discovered among the numerous law docu- 
ments in Mr. Wallis's possession ; to whom 
the public is also indebted for the mort- 
gage-deed bearing the autograph of Shak- 
speare, which was discovered among the 



88 

papers of the Featherstonehaugh family, 
and presented to the late David Garrick, 
esquire, who bequeathed it to the British 
Museum. 

A DAMNING PROOF. 

On our arrival at Mr. Albany Wallis s 
he instantly produced the document so re- 
cently discovered, which he kept in his own 
hand, showing the signature of John He- 
minges to myself and Mr. Samuel Ireland . 
From the appearance of the instrument I 
was fully assured that there could not be a 
doubt as to its authenticity ; and from the 
style of the hand- writing I also knew that 
the meanest capacity would have at once 
decided that the autograph affixed to the 
deed was not from the same hand as had 
subscribed that which was to the receipt, 
so totally different was the penmanship in 
every respect. Having examined the au- 
tograph with infinite attention, I quitted 
M^. Ireland and Mr. Wallis, stating that I 
would see the supposed gentleman during 
the morning, and acquaint him with the 
whole event. 



89 



A BOLD EXPEDIENT. 

From Norfolk Street I instantly repaired 
to chambers, retaining in my recollection 
the form of the original autograph of John 
Heminges which I had just inspected ; and 
on my arrival there I committed the sig- 
nature to paper in a form as similar to 
the original as my memory would enable 
me to give to it. After which I penned a 
receipt with the Shaksperian ink, and upon 
old paper, as for theatrical disbursements, 
forming the letters as similarly as possi- 
ble to those in the name I had thus noted 
from recollection. With this document I 
hurried back to Mr. Albany Wallis, to 
whom I produced it with the following 
statement. 

THE TALL AND SHORT JOHN HEMINGES. 

Mr. A. Wallis, having compared the sig- 
nature to my receipt, thus hastily formed, 
with the original autograph subscribed to 
the deed, was immediately struck with the 
similarity ; w 7 hen I gave the following rela- 



90 

tion : that on quitting him I had imme- 
diately hastened to the supposed gentle- 
man,, whom I very luckily found at home : 
that I expressed to him my astonishment at 
the discovery which had been made by 
Mr. Wallis, of a deed signed by John He- 
minges in a hand not resembling in the least 
the signature subscribed to the receipt : 
that upon witnessing my embarrassment 
he smiled, and, opening the drawer of his 
writing-table, drew from thence this second 
receipt, which was found correspondent to 
the signature on the deed, saying, " Take 
that to Mr. "Wailis's, and see if it does not 
correspond with the hand-writing to his 
deed :" that my friend then further in- 
formed me, that, although not known to 
the world, there were two John Heminges 
in the time of Shakspeare ; the one con- 
nected with Shakspeare and the Globe the- 
atre, and the other being concerned for 
the Curtain theatre, which was another 
playhouse of the period of James I. : that 
the signatures of John Heminges to Mr. 
Wallis's deed and to the second receipt 



91 

thus given me by the gentleman, were the 
autographs of Shakspeare s friend ; while 
the name affixed to the first receipt, which 
bore no resemblance to that on the deed, 
was the signature of John Heminges of 
the Curtain theatre, who was in some mea- 
sure connected with Shakspeare and the 
Globe theatre. I also further added, that 
the gentleman acquainted me that it would 
appear, from further documents to be pro- 
duced, that these two John Heminges were 
distinguished by the appellations of the 
tall John Heminges of the Globe and the 
short John Heminges of the Curtain thea- 
tres. 

FABRICATION NEWLY FABRICATED. 

However apt I might have been in car- 
rying this signature in my recollection, 
and thus speedily producing a document 
at chambers to resemble the signature on 
Mr. Wallis's deed, I nevertheless, upon 
this further examination of the original 
autograph to the deed, did imagine that I 
could execute a fresh receipt that would 
more strikingly resemble the genuine sig- 



92 

nature of John Heminges. In consequence 
of which, having fully satisfied Mr. Walliss 
mind at this trying juncture, I again 
hastened back to chambers ; where I once 
more penned the receipt verbatim which 
I had so lately written : and bearing the 
recollection of the original signature more 
strongly in my mind, this duplicate fabri- 
cation proved a very strong resemblance 
to the authentic autograph on the deed : 
of course the first, which I had taken to 
Mr. Wallis, was destroyed, and the second, 
thus executed, was substituted in its stead : 
such being the method adopted in order 
to reconcile the difference between the 
name written with my left hand and that 
which appeared on the deed newly dis- 
covered by Mr. Albany Wallis of Norfolk 
Street. 

REMARKABLE EXPEDITION. 

It is a circumstance perhaps not un- 
worthy remark, that the whole period ot 
time taken up in first seeing the deed at 
Mr. Wallis's, hastening to chambers in or- 



93 

der to form the receipt, returning back to 
Mr. Wallis's with the receipt so fabricated 
and there framing and telling the story of 
the tall and short John Heminges, and 
finally the second return to chambers and 
re-execution (if I may be allowed the ex- 
pression) of the receipt, did not actually 
occupy more than the space of one hour 
and a quarter. It will here be necessary 
to note, that Mr. Wallis's dwelling was at 
the bottom of Norfolk Street in the Strand, 
and the chambers to which I went were in 
New Inn. — This remarkable expedition 
was afterwards alleged as a convincing 
proof that the documents could not be 
other than original, as it was affirmed to 
be out of all human probability that such 
a succession of events could have taken 
place in so limited a space of time. 

MORE AUTOGRAPHS OF JOHN HEMINGES. 

After the production of this first receipt, 
to resemble the autograph affixed to Mr. 
Wallis's deed, I within a few days executed 
several others, and annexed a similar sig- 



94 

nature to some of the books which I pro- 
duced, as a further proof that the docu- 
ments were genuine. 

In order, however, to give some idea ot 
the opinions excited by this transaction, 
the following head, taken from Mr. Chal- 
mers's Apology for the Believers (being a 
note in pages 18 and 19), will at once dis- 
play his thoughts upon the subject. 



MR. CHALMERS ON JOHN HEMINGES* SIGNATURE. 

"I was present when the genuine deed of John He- 
minges, which is printed by Mr. Malone in the In- 
quiry (page 409), was produced in evidence; when 
there was produced at the same time a black-letter 
pamphlet having the name 4 John Heminges ' written 
at the top of the tit]e-page, so like as to be a perfect fac- 
simile; and at the bottom of the same page was written 
the name ' ¥m. Shakspeare.' On the back of the 
title-page was written i This was the book of John 
Heminges, which he gave unto me, ¥m. Shakspeare.' 
jNow had there been an issue, on an action at law, 
whether these were the signatures of Heminges and of 
Shakspeare, the genuine deed of Heminges would have 
been given in evidence, as the certainty from which the 
uncertainty would have been inferred. Here is legal or 
admissible proof : and the jury who had been sworn 
to try that issue 'according to the evidence given them,' 
must have delivered their verdict for the genuineness 



95 



of the signatures of Heminges and Shakspeare on the 
black-letter pamphlet before mentioned. This example 
proves how difficult it is to detect some forgeries by fair 
discussion. Thirst, I believe that the deed of Heminges 
is genuine : Secondly, I believe that the signature of 
Heminges, on the black-letter pamphlet, was copied 
by the pen of a forger from the real signature on the 
deed ; and that the signature of Shakspeare was copied 
by the same pen from fancy in some measure : yet am 
I of opinion that these forgeries cannot be detected by 
fair discussion. " 



MR. JAMES BOSWELL. 

As the circumstances attending Mr. 
James Boswells inspection of the manu- 
scripts have been variously represented, 
and as I was present on that occasion, I 
shall state the facts as they really occurred. 

On the arrival of Mr. Bos well, the pa- 
pers were as usual placed before him : 
when he commenced his examination of 
them ; and being satisfied as to their an- 
tiquity, as far as the external appear- 
ance would attest, he proceeded to exa- 
mine the style of the language from the 
fair transcripts made from the disguised 
hand-writing. In this research Mr. Bos- 



96 

well continued for a considerable length 
of time, constantly speaking in favour of 
the internal as well as external proofs of 
the validity of the manuscripts. At length, 
finding himself rather thirsty, he requested 
a tumbler of warm brandy and water ; 
which having nearly finished, he then re- 
doubled his praises of the manuscripts ; 
and at length, arising from his chair, he 
made use of the following expression : 
" Well ; I shall now die contented, since 
I have lived to witness the present day." 
Mr. Boswell then, kneeling down before 
the volume containing a portion of the 
papers, continued, " I now kiss the inva- 
luable relics of our bard : and thanks to 
God that I have lived to see them t" Hav- 
ing kissed the volume with every token of 
reverence, Mr. Boswell shortly after quit- 
ted Mr. Ireland's house : and although I 
believe he revisited the papers on some 
future occasions, yet that was the only 
time I was honoured with a sight of Mr. 
James Boswell. 



97 



STRING. 

As old papers containing trivial accounts 
are usually bound together, it was deemed 
extraordinary . that the numerous play- 
house receipts, which were written on 
small slips of paper, should be brought 
forward without being tied up. I was for 
some time anxious to obviate this objec- 
tion, yet dreaded a discovery, by produ- 
cing a thread or string of the present day, 
the texture and weaving of which I con- 
ceived might betray me : in consequence 
of this a considerable period elapsed ere 
I was able to compass my point, which 
was at length effected in the following 
manner. — 

OLD TAPESTRY. 

As Mr. S. Ireland very frequently made 
it a point to go to the house of lords in 
order to hear his majesty's speech and be 
present when he was robed, I happened 
to be in company with him on one of 
those occasions ; when, having to pass 



98 

through some adjoining apartments, where 
many persons were waiting, and wherein 
we were also detained for a short time, I 
observed that the walls of the chambers 
were hung with very old and mutilated 
tapestry ; when the idea suddenly struck 
me, that, by procuring a small remnant 
(knowing its antiquity), I might unravel 
the worsted and turn it to my immediate 
purposes. In consequence of this conjec- 
ture, I took up a loose piece (being about 
half the size of my hand) which was worn 
by time from the hangings of an apart- 
ment ; and on returning to my Shakspe- 
rian occupation I drew out the worsted 
thread, which afterwards served me when- 
soever I had occasion to attach any of the 
receipts or other papers together. — The 
remains of the small piece of tapestry in 
question were vested in the hands of Al- 
bany Wallis, esq., on my disclosure of 
every fact appertaining to the suppositious 
papers. 



99 



PLAYHOUSE RECEIPTS. 



As I heard it unceasingly stated that 
"the more bulky the papers were, the 
more probable would their authenticity 
appear/' I began to consider what would 
be the best expedient to accomplish this 
end without much labour of the brain ; 
for as my muse was not so yery prolific as 
to " spin and weave" poetry as fast as it 
was required, I really began to loath the 
very idea of the manuscripts, which be- 
came to me an insufferable burden. At 
length the idea of playhouse receipts, or 
memorandums of theatrical expenditures, 
struck my fancy : in consequence of which, 
when my brain was not actually accor- 
dant with the temper of the Heliconian 
Nine, I had recourse to the drudgery of 
memorandum writing : by which means I 
added to the mass of the papers, and at 
the same time calmed the voice of re- 
proof, which was so constantly lavished 
upon me for not producing .... that which 

F 2 



100 

was not to be produced because I was not 
in the humour to compose it. 

These documents were written on small 
slips of paper, and strung together by the 
dozen ; being fastened with pieces of wor- 
sted unraveled from the tapestry. 

MEMORANDUM FOR PLAYING BEFORE LORD 
LEICESTER. 

The memorandum deemed the most cu- 
rious I shall here notice : it was worded as 
under. 

In the Yeare o Chryste 
Forre oure Trouble inne goynge toe playe before 
the Lorde Leycesterre ats house ande oure greate 
expenneces thereuponne 19 Poundes 
Receyvedde ofs Grace the Summe o 50 Poundes 

Win Shakspeare 

From this receipt it was inferred that 
Shakspeare's company of players must 
have ranked foremost in that day ; it hav- 
ing been selected, in preference to any 
other, by so renowned a favourite of queen 
Elizabeth as the lord Leicester. — It should 
be recollected that there were a variety 
of playhouses open at that time in the 



101 

city of London. In addition to which, 
the surb. of fifty pounds was deemed 
a very exorbitant payment for that pe- 
riod. 



SUBSTITUTING A BLANK FOR A DATE. 

I here think it necessary to refer my 
readers to the head-line of the receipt 
above quoted. The blank after the word 
"Chryste" was originally filled up with a 
date ; but so careless was I at that period 
as positively to have neglected making 
any reference to the period when lord 
Leicester died : in consequence of which 
the date originally standing there was two 
years subsequent to the demise of that no- 
bleman. Having acquired this knowledge, 
I did not think it requisite to destroy the 
memorandum altogether, but satisfied my- 
self with tearing off the corner of the re- 
ceipt bearing the numericals ; thus leaving 
it as a torn document, and making a blank 
where the erroneous date had originally 
stood; which must, if known, have at 

f3 



102 

once stamped the signet of invalidity on 
all the papers produced. 

EXTRA PAYMENT TO MASTER LOWIN. 

Upon a second memorandum relative to 
the playing before lord Leicester, I noted 
down a payment of two shillings extra, 
made by William Shakspeare " toe masterre 
Lowinne " for his " goode servyces ande 
welle playnge." And as upon many other 
of the playhouse receipts the names of the 
performers of that period were mentioned, 
the following head will account for my 
knowledge of them. 

NAMES OF THE PLAYERS IN SHAKSPEARE's 
DRAMAS. 

Although the first and second editions 
in folio of Shakspeare's plays were in my 
possession, I had totally forgotten that on 
one of the first leaves of those editions are 
printed the names of the several perfor- 
mers in his dramas ; and it was on this 
account that I remained for a considerable 
time without producing any manuscripts 



103 

relative to the players of that period. At 
length I accidentally heard the fact men- 
tioned by some person inspecting the ma- 
nuscripts, and in consequence referred 
immediately to the folios in question, 
whence I procured the information re- 
quired, and which, without my knowledge, 
had been for so long a period within the 
scope of my attainment. 

AGREEMENT BETWEEN SHAKSPEARE AND LOW1N 
THE PLAYER. 

As it was generally allowed that law 
documents were the most convincing evi- 
dences of the validity of the manuscripts, 
the idea entered my mind of producing 
agreements as entered into between some 
of the players and William Shakspeare. 
In consequence of which I formed a deed 
as between Lowin and our bard, wherein 
the former agreed to perform during four 
years at the weekly salary of one pound 
and ten shillings : which payment was very 
exorbitant for that period : but as I had 
heard it surmised that Lowin was the 
F 4 



104 

chief performer of his age, I consequently 
was not sparing in my allowance to him. 

AGREEMENT BETWEEN SHAKSPEARE AND CON- 
DELL THE PLAYER. 

By this document Henry Condell the 
player covenanted to perform for the fur- 
ther space of three years, at the weekly 
salary of one pound and one shilling, to 
be paid every Saturday before twelve 
o'clock at night whether sick or well ; it 
being covenanted " that he would play 
upon the stage for the said Wm. Shak- 
speare alle comedys ande tragedyes whiche 
he the said Wm. Shakspeare may at any 
tyme during the said terme cause to be 
played not written or composed by hym- 
selfe butte are the writings or composy- 
tyons of others/' 

VALIDITY ATTACHED TO THE MANUSCRIPTS BY 
THE AGREEMENT BETWEEN SHAKSPEARE, 
LOWIN, AND CONDELL. 

These surreptitious agreements, purport- 
ing to be made between Shakspeare and 



105 

Lowin and Shakspeare and Condell, were 
written on parchment, in the same manner 
as the first document purporting to be be- 
tween Shakspeare and Fraser, with this 
difference, that the latter two agreements 
were much better executed than was the 
first fabricated deed. With respect to the 
seals, I had also recourse to the same 
means of affixing 'them to the parchment 
slips appendent to the agreements as on 
the fabrication of the instrument between 
Shakspeare and Fraser. 

As these documents were supposed to 
throw great light upon the theatrical affairs 
of that period, they were highly prized by 
the visitants at Mr. S. Ireland's mansion : 
in addition to which, as legal instruments, 
bearing the seals on which so great a stress 
had been laid in the case of Fraser s lease, 
they were deemed the most indisputable 
evidences of the originality of the whole 
mass of papers produced. 



F 5 



106 

A BROKEN SEAL. 

As one very curious circumstance oc- 
curred respecting one of the seals (but to 
which of the documents affixed has now 
totally escaped my recollection), I shall 
here give a relation of the event precisely 
as it occurred. I have, under a previous 
head [vide " Seals" of the deed supposed 
to have been executed between Shakspeare 
and Fraser] stated that two kinds of wax 
were used in affixing the seals to the strips 
of parchment : that is to say, the front 
side, bearing the impression, was not melt- 
ed ; whereas the back part of the seal was 
formed of fresh melted wax. Now it un- 
fortunately happened that some person in- 
specting one of the deeds suffered the same 
to fall from his hands upon Mr. S. Ireland's 
mahogany writing-desk : on which occa- 
sion, such was the brittle property of the 
wax, that the front side of one of the seals 
severed from the back part, which had 
held it to the strip of parchment appen- 
ding from the deed ; by which any shrewd 



107 

observer would have instantly recognised 
the difference in the colours of the wax. — 
However, this circumstance being commu- 
nicated to me, I instantly advised the 
binding of the two parts together with 
black silk : and thus was the deed shown 
for a short time, without any scrutinising 
research being made of the mutilated parts 
of the seal : which mi^ht have been done 
by any person untwisting the silk that held 
the broken parts together. 

CEMENTING A BROKEN SEAL. 

As I dreaded lest some shrewd observer 
of the manuscripts should wish to examine 
with care this broken seal, I took an op- 
portunity of informing Mr. S. Ireland that 
the supposed gentleman was desirous of 
inspecting that very document for an hour ; 
and as nothing was denied to the myste- 
rious donor of the papers, the instrument 
in question was consequently committed 
to my charge ; with which I speedily has- 
tened to chambers ; and, having heated 
some fresh wax, firmly riveted the broken 



108 

parts together : after which, placing the 
black silk round the seal, I redelivered it 
to Mr. Ireland. Thus had any after visi- 
tant at Mr. Ireland's house been desirous 
of inspecting the broken seal, and had 
withdrawn the silk for that purpose, he 
would have found the parts adhering : in 
which case, whatsoever might have been 
the surprise, it would not have been tanta- 
mount to the conviction which must have 
flashed upon the mind of any shrewd ob- 
server on examining the parts of the seal 
disunited, which would at once have dis- 
played the contrivance to w r hich I had had 
recourse in affixing the seals to the deed. 

PURCHASE OF A DRAWING IN BUTCHER ROW. 

As I one day chanced to pass through 
Butcher Row, I saw a curious old drawing 
hanging up for sale. It was framed, and 
placed between two glasses, in order to 
display the back and front of the paper ; 
on one side of which was the representa- 
tion of an aged figure in the habit of a 
Dutchman, while on the reverse appeared 



109 

a young man gaily attired in an English 
dress of the period of James the First. 
As it suddenly struck me that the limning 
might be of utility to me in my Shaksperian 
employment, I made a purchase of it, and 
took it with me to chambers ; where, taking 
out one of the glasses, I turned my pur- 
chase to the following account. 

ALTERATIONS MADE IN THE DRAWING. 

On the side bearing the representation 
of the old Dutchman I painted a pair of 
scales and a knife, in order that it might 
pass for the representation of Shylock in 
the Merchant of Venice ; and on the re- 
verse, whereon appeared the gaily dressed 
youth, I delineated, in one corner, the 
arms of Shakspeare ; on the shield of which 
I from thoughtlessness reversed the spear, 
making the point directed to the right 
hand, whereas it really ought to have 
pointed to the left corner. On the oppo- 
site side I introduced the initials W S, with 
the titles of a few of Shakspeare's plays : 
and having before me a copy of Droeshout s 



110 

print, I altered the lineaments of the face 
of the figure represented, giving it as much 
as possible a resemblance to the print be- 
fore me. Having made these alterations, 
I replaced the drawing in the frame, and, 
after fastening down the glass, presented it 
to Mr. Ireland. 

BASSANIO AND SHYLOCK THE JEW. 

The drawing of the old Dutchman was 
instantly construed to represent Shylock 
the Jew, although it was deemed rather 
extraordinary that the character should 
have been arrayed in the costume of a 
North-Hollander, which was really the case. 
The figure on the reverse (having the coat- 
of-arms of Shakspeare, the initial letters of 
his name, with the titles of some of his 
dramas, and bearing the faint resemblance 
which the altered physiognomy held to the 
print of Droeshout) was soon conceived to 
represent our bard in the character of 
Bassanio in the Merchant of Venice : and 
so far did conjecture go on this head, that 
it was gravely stated the drawing had in 



Ill 

all probability graced the green-room of 
the Globe theatre. 

MR. H*WL*TT AND JOHN HOSKINS THE PAINTER. 

In order to stamp the drawing as co- 
eval with the time of Shakspeare, one Mr. 
H*wl*tt of the Temple, who was perfectly 
conversant with the mode of writing for 
centuries back, conceived that he had dis- 
covered, by the aid of magnifying glasses, 
in one corner, at the bottom of the draw- 
ing, faint traces of the name of John Hos- 
kins, who, upon research, proved really to 
have been an artist of the period of James 
the First. For my own part, I must can- 
didly confess, although my eyes are not of 
the weakest, that even with the aid of mag- 
nifiers I could never perceive any thing 
like a resemblance to the name in que- 
stion ; the whole originating, in my opi- 
nion, in the Indian ink of the back ground 
having assumed a deeper and blacker dye 
in some of the veins of the paper on which 
the design was executed than on others. 



112 

MR. MALONE's STATEMENT. 

This commentator, in page 243 of his 
ponderous Inquiry, speaking of the draw- 
ing in question, states as follows. — 

" The originals of the two following coloured prints, 
one of which presents us with the portrait of an actor 
(Shakspeare, if you will) in the part of Bassanio in the 
Merchant of Venice, and the other with that of Shy- 
lock in the same play, I have not seen ; and if I had 
seen them, I am not entitled, by any knowledge of the 
art, to decide upon their merit or authenticity. But 
by those who are perfect and indisputable judges in 
such matters, I have been informed, that, in spite of the 
process of discolouration by tobacco-water, and of fumi- 
gation by smoke and brimstone, which they appear to 
have undergone in that unknown repository in the 
country from whence all these curiosities have been 
issued, they are manifestly washed drawings of a recent 
date;' £c. " 

FUTILITY OF THE ABOVE STATEMENT. 

Ever happy to contribute my mite in 
order to show the upstart pretensions of 
Mr. Malone as a critic, I shall now, by a 
simple statement, prove the fallacy of his 
assertion, and the ignorance of his friends ; 
who, like himself, appear to have been 



113 

'perfect and indisputable judges in such mat- 
ters. 

In the first place, the drawing in que- 
stion, as purchased by me, was most in- 
disputably as old as the period of James 
the First : secondly, its real antiquity 
precluded the necessity of giving to it 
the appearance of age ; nor was it either 
discoloured with tobacco-water or fumi- 
gated with smoke and brimstone, as as- 
serted by Mr. Malone's sapient friends : 
and, thirdly, with respect to the colouring, 
excepting in the trifling alterations made 
by me as before stated, the drawing, in- 
stead of being executed in water colours 
were made in body colours. And with this 
statement I shall for the present dismiss 
the erudite commentator and his friends 
the limners. 

SUPPOSED MEANING OF THE BASSANIO AND SHY- 
LOCK DRAWING. 

After the conclusions drawn from the sci- 
entific researches of Mr. Malone's friends, 
I fear that I shall be thought presump- 
F 5 



114 

tuous in hazarding an opinion with re- 
gard to the drawing in question : I shall, 
notwithstanding, deliver my sentiments 
on the subject ; which are simply as fol- 
low : 

That the drawing was as ancient as the 
period when Shakspeare lived ; and that it 
was meant to represent the contrast be- 
tween a penurious money-getting father 
and the extravagance of his heir, who 
dissipated on dress and other fooleries 
those sums which had been amassed with 
so much industry and unremitting toil. 

CERTIFICATE SUBSCRIBED BY STAUNCH BE- 
LIEVERS OF THE MANUSCRIPTS. 

When the influx of persons to inspect 
the manuscripts was very great, Mr. Sa- 
muel Ireland, by the advice of several 
gentlemen who were most strenuous in 
their belief of the papers, drew out a kind 
of certificate, stating that the under- 
signed names were affixed by gentlemen 
who entertained no doubt whatsoever as 
to the validity of the Shaksperian produc- 



115 

tion, and that they voluntarily gave such 
public testimony of their ideas upon the 
subject. To this certificate several names 
were affixed by persons as conspicuous for 
their erudition as they were pertinacious 
in their opinions. 

There is scarcely need to add, that, 
upon my confession of facts, I had no 
right to expect mercy from the above 
gentlemen, who were by that means held 
up to the taunts of Mr. Malone and his 
inveterate friendsthe critics. 

RE-WRITING ONE OF SHAKSPEARE's DRAMAS. 

As it was generally deemed extraordi- 
nary that the productions of Shakspeare 
should be found so very unequal, and in 
particular that so much ribaldry should 
appear throughout his dramatic composi- 
tions, I determined on the expedient of re- 
writing, in the old hand, one of his most 
conspicuous plays, and making such alte- 
rations as I conceived appropriate. For 
some time, however, I delayed putting 



116 

my plan into execution, through an anx- 
ious desire to procure a copy of some 
play of Shakspeare's published during his 
life-time : for although I had in my pos- 
ition the first folio edition of his works, 
dated in 1623, I was well aware that there 
existed much earlier copies of each sepa- 
rate drama in quarto. 

THE QUARTO EDITION OF KING LEAR. 

Having at length discovered that Mr. 
Samuel Ireland possessed a rare quarto 
copy of the play of King Lear, and being 
at liberty to resort to his library whenever I 
thought proper, I in consequence selected 
that drama for my purpose ; and at conve- 
nient opportunities, when unobserved, I 
took the quarto play in question to the 
chambers, and there transcribed the same, 
making interpolations where I conceived 
they would answer my purpose. 

I cannot but advert in this place to Mr. 
Malone's observation on the present topic, 
who states that the rare quartoes of any of 



117 

Shakspeare's plays were without doubt be- 
yond the reach of the fabricator ; who, he 
conceives, must have transcribed the Lear 
from the second edition in folio ; whereas 
the manuscript of this play, as above 
stated, was really copied from one of those 
rare editions mentioned by Mr. Malone 
as out of the scope of the forgers pro- 
curing. 

As a duplicate of this quarto, which 
bears date A. D. 1608, is doubtless among 
the curiosa of Mr. Malone, it is a matter 
of astonishment that he did not, with his 
usual pomposity, acquaint the public with 
that circumstance, as "Vanity, my cou- 
sin, is your blind side." 

SPECIMEN OF ALTERATIONS MADE IN KING LEAK. 

In the old quarto above mentioned, and 
in every subsequent edition of the play of 
King Lear, the following lines are spoken 
by Kent after the king's death : 

" I have a journey, sir, shortly to go : 
My master calls, and I must not say no.'^ 



118 

As I did not conceive such a jingling 
and unmeaning couplet very appropriate 
to the occasion, I composed the following 
lines, which I was so arrogant as to believe 
would not injure the reputation of Shak- 
speare. — 

Thanks, sir ; but I go to that unknown land 
That chains each pilgrim fast within its soil ; 
By living men most shunn'd, most dreaded. 
Still my good master this same journey took ; 
He calls me ; I am content, and straight obey : 
Then farewell, world ! the busy scene is done : 
Kent liv'd most true, Kent dies most like a man. 



CONCLUSIONS DRAWN FROM THE ALTERATIONS 
IN KING LEAR. 

As I scrupulously avoided in copying 
the play of Lear, the insertion of that ri- 
baldry which is so frequently found in the 
compositions of our bard,f it was generally * 
conceived that my manuscript proved be- 
yond doubt that Shakspeare was a much 
more finished writer than had ever before 
been imagined., It was also further sug- 
gested, that the numerous passages un- 



119 

worthy the sublime genius of Shakspeare 
which appear throughout all his dramas, 
were merely introduced in the representa- 
tion, by the players of that period, and 
afterwards inserted in the playhouse copies 
of his productions ; from which they were 
literally printed, and thus given to the 
world with the numerous alterations so 
foisted in by the performers to please the 
taste of the times. 

THE TRANSCRIPT OF HAMLET. 

Another of Shakspeare's dramas on which 
I ventured my trifling alterations, while 
copying it over in the old hand, was the 
popular tragedy of Hamlet. However, as 
I soon became weary of this plodding busi- 
ness, I only produced a few leaves of this 
second drama ; whereas the Lear was com- 
pleted within a few lines. The variations 
introduced by me in the pages of Hamlet 
thus executed, tended to strengthen the 
former opinions as to Shakspeare's correct- 
ness as a writer, while every thing appear- 
ing unworthy our bard was laid to the 



120 

charge of the players and printers of that 
period. 

FIKST ACQUAINTANCE WITH MR. TALBOT. 

I shall now advert to a very momentous 
period, when the whole Shaksperian fabric 
might instantly have been overturned, as 
I was then placed at the mercy of a gen- 
tleman who had it in his power to betray 
me. 

Some months after my articles had com- 
menced, I formed an aquaintance with 
Mr. Montague Talbot; who, like myself, 
was placed with a conveyancer, in order 
to his studying the law, but whose pursuits 
were much more calculated to fit him for 
the business of the theatre. As our meet- 
ings were very frequent, I became desirous 
of introducing Mr. Talbot to Mr. Samuel 
Ireland ; which circumstance soon took 
place ; when Mr. Talbot became a con- 
stant visitant in Norfolk Street. 



121 

mr. talbot's shrewd surmise. 

The close connexion which took place 
between Mr. Talbot and myself made that 
gentleman perfectly well acquainted with 
my research after antiquities, &c. : on 
which account I was frequently the object 
of his ridicule. 

Some time after this friendship was 
formed, Mr. Talbot quitted London for a 
few weeks, and during his absence I em- 
barked in the Shaksperian fabrication ; for 
had I been subject, as usual, to the fre- 
quent calls of Mr. Talbot, I could never 
have followed up my plans with such per- 
severance and escaped detection. On the 
return of Mr. Talbot, he visited as usual in 
Norfolk Street; where he inspected the 
several documents at that time given in to 
Mr. S. Ireland. At our next meetings 
(being, as before stated, well acquainted 
with my pursuits, and having seen me 
imitate old hand- writings), he laughingly 
told me that he was well convinced the 
deed of Fraser and the other papers were 

G 



122 

my own fabricating. To this charge I 
boldly pleaded the negative ; though all 
my assurances were insufficient to con- 
vince him to the . contrary of his own 
assertion. 

mr. talbot's discovery or the eorgery. 

For some clays the business went on as 
usual, and I was particularly guarded as to 
the keeping a watchful eye upon every 
individual who approached the chambers ; 
for I was well convinced that Mr. Talbot's 
perseverance would not be easily lulled, as 
he frequently came in upon me so sud- 
denly that I was with infinite difficulty 
enabled to conceal from his observation 
the manuscript on which I then chanced to 
be engaged. One day, however, Mr. 
Talbot found means to elude my observa- 
• tion, by bending himself double, and in 
that position creeping beneath the window 
at which I was accustomed to write : thus 
unobserved he suddenly darted into the 
chambers, and ere I could find means to 
conceal the document whereon I was then 



123 

occupied, he arrested my arm, and by this 
stratagem became at once acquainted 
with the whole mystery. Fully aware 
that the anger of Mr. S. Ireland would be 
directed against me in full force were the 
fabrication discovered to him, I suppli- 
cated Mr. Talbot to pledge me his honour 
that he would never divulge the truth, un- 
less I was desirous that the fact should be 
made public ; to which request he acceded ; 
and it is but justice in me to state, that 
he never in any one instance was led to 
divulge the fact, although in the sequel of 
the transaction he had almost sufficient 
ground to warrant such a procedure, from 
the disagreeable circumstances attendant 
on his having interfered for me in the pro- 
gress of the fabrication. 

MR. TALBOT'S MYSTERIOUS METHOD OF CORRE- 
SPONDING. 

After some time had elapsed from Mr. 

Talbot's becoming acquainted with the 

fact, his attachment to theatrical pursuits 

prompted him to relinquish the study of 

G2 



124 

the law, and he in consequence deter- 
mined on visiting Dublin ; whither he at 
length set out, after a promise on my part 
that I would regularly correspond with 
him, and give a detail of the various do- 
cuments which I should fabricate during 
his absence. After two letters had passed 
between us, wherein I mentioned without 
disguise every composition in which I was 
engaged, Mr. Talbot recommended that 
we should in future correspond in a man- 
ner that would be unintelligible to any 
other person but ourselves, should any 
letter be by chance mislaid or miscarry. 
The talisman adopted on this occasion 
was a sheet of paper having several pieces 
cut from different parts of it ; which, when 
desirous of writing, was placed on a sheet 
of post paper ; when the communication 
to be made was written on the parts of the 
post paper appearing through the holes so 
made in the mutilated sheet ; after which 
the blanks left were filled up with any 
words, so as to render the whole unintelli- 
gible. Mr. Talbot and myself, having each 



125 

a sheet of paper cut precisely the same, 
upon receipt of any letter had only to 
place the same upon the correspondence 
received, when that part of the epistle 
which it was intended should be under- 
stood became instantly apparent, while 
the farrago of nonsense with which the 
remainder of the lines were filled up was of 
course hidden from observation, leaving 
the sense only of the letter apparent to 
the eye, as before stated. 

MR. TALBOT* S RETURN FROM IRELAND. 

Having so much penmanship to exe- 
cute, I became less frequent in addressing 
Mr. Talbot * so that a small portion of 
the play of Vortigern and Rowena was 
composed ere Mr. Talbot heard that I 
had embarked in any such daring enter- 
prise. Upon this occasion Mr. Talbot 
(having heard it reported in Dublin that 
such a drama was coming forward, which 
had been discovered with the other Shak- 
sperian manuscripts) dispatched a letter to 
me indicatory of his astonishment that I 
g3 



126 

should not have confided the fact to him ; 
which also concluded with informing me 
that he was then on the very eve of quit- 
ting Dublin, on his return to this coun- 
try ; and, indeed, scarcely were ten days 
elapsed from the receipt of this epistle ere 
Mr. Talbot in person presented himself 
to me ; when I made every apology for my 
remissness in not having written, stating, 
in extenuation of my conduct (what was 
no other than fact), that I was literally 
so harassed in mind, from the various 
compositions in which I had embarked, as 
to be wholly unmindful of every other 
consideration : and indeed, on Mr. Talbot's 
inspection of the papers at Mr. Ireland's 
house, even he himself was astonished at 
the numerous manuscripts produced, and 
the variety of the documents which I had 
composed during his absence. 

VOLUNTARY OFFER OF MR. TALBOT* S LITERARY 
ABILITIES. 

As Mr. Talbot was a friend of the Muses, 
he became anxious to add a portion of his 



127 

own composition in the course of the pro- 
duction of the Vortigern ; and as his conti- 
nuance in London was but for a few days, 
I promised that I would send to him, when 
at Dublin, the plan of some of the scenes of 
the Vortigern, leaving the language to 
himself ; which, when remitted to me, I was 
to copy in the disguised hand upon the old 
paper. — Having entered into this agree- 
ment, Mr. Talbot shortly after quitted 
London for Dublin ; but I refrained from 
dispatching such plans of the scenes as 
promised, from a conviction that the style 
of what should be remitted to me by Mr. 
Talbot would differ from my own most 
materially : in addition to which, as Mr. 
Talbot had not been so accustomed to the 
old method of composition as myself, I 
thought the introduction of two such op- 
posite styles of writing must tend to a 
discovery of the fabrication of that dra- 
ma : and under these assurances, se- 
conded by a degree of vanity which 
prompted me to aspire solely to the pro- 
duction of the piece, I did not consult 
G4 



125 

Mr. Talbot on the subject, but completed 
the play without any aid whatsoever on 
his part. 

PRIVATE INTERVIEW WITH MR. TALBOT, AND OUR 
AGREEMENT, &c. 

During Mr. Talbot's short continuance 
in London, as various doubts were then 
hazarded in opposition to the validity of 
the manuscripts, I prevailed upon that 
gentleman to join me in the story related : 
in consequence of which it was agreed 
between us, that he should forward a letter 
to Mr. Samuel Ireland, after his departure 
from London, acquainting him that %i he 
was likewise present with me on the dis- 
covery of the papers." And it was also 
settled between us, that the name of the 
supposed donor of the manuscripts should 
be stated in future as commencing with the 
letter H. — At this private interview, when 
the above agreement took place, we also 
mutually destroyed every letter which had 
previously passed between us ; so that no 
one document then existed to prove the 



129 

fact respecting the fabrication of the papers 
by myself And immediately after this 
meeting, Mr. M. Talbot again set out for 
Dublin. 

Under the foregoing heads is contained 
every statement with regard to Mr. Monta- 
gue Talbot's discovery of the transaction 
and his subsequent connexion with me in 
the business : and it is but justice in me to 
remark, in the present instance, that every 
step thus taken by Mr. Talbot was only 
done at my own earnest request, in order 
that he might in some measure extricate 
me from the labyrinth of perplexity where- 
in I had so innocently involved myself. 

PRELUDE TO A PROOE. 

After the completion of the play of Vor- 
tigern and Rowena, without the interfe- 
rence of Mr. Talbot, notwithstanding his 
request made to that effect previous to his 
departure from London [see the head 
"Voluntary offer of Mr. Talbot's literary 
abilities/' page 126], a letter came to me 
from Ireland, part of which I have here 

G 5 



130 

deemed it necessary to insert, as it not 
only goes to prove the statement as to our 
mutual agreement respecting H previous 
to his departure, but also tends to esta- 
blish the veracity of my assertion ; as will 
be explained under the article which fol- 
lows the ensuing quotation. 

QUOTATION FROM ME, M. TALBOT'S LETTER. 
" Dear friend, 6th Jan., 1796. 

" It is now a month, I believe, since I wrote to your 
father a particular account of the discovery of Yorti- 
gern, with every thing that has passed before and since 
the fortunate finding it at H's. I wrote by the same post 
to yourself : begged you to show H the letter I wrote 
your father, and keep a copy yourself. Xow I think it 
rather hard I am not favoured with an answer, and that 
my particular request is not complied with. I asked for 
a copy of Yortigern and Eowena, as curtailed for repre- 
sentation : now, although you neglect me so much as 
to withhold the copy of the play, which you know 
when in London I had not time to read, and which 
you may naturally suppose I would wish to know 
almost as I would all Shakspeare's works, yet mark 
how I am situated, and then you will not blame me for 
renewing my request : Every one knows here the con- 
cern I have with Yortigern and Eowena, and every one 
asks for the particulars : I then show the copy of the 
letter sent vour father ; but when I am asked as to the 
play and its merits, plot, beauties, 8rc 9 r J know nothing. 



131 

It is mucb wondered at that I can give no account of 
its coming out. Some ask me if I have not in my pos- 
session any scrap of the writings of Shakspeare. So I 
request you will send me some bill, receipt or letter of 
his," &c. 

PROOFS THAT I ALONE AM THE AUTHOR OF THE 
MANUSCRIPTS. 

As the whole superstructure of the Shak- 
sperian manuscripts was reared on the basis 
of falsehood, and as some opinions have 
erroneously gone abroad that I was not 
the sole 'writer of the papers, I have conse- 
quently sought every means to establish 
this position, " that, however a man may 
once act erroneously, he may at some sub- 
sequent period become convinced of his 
error, and seek to make atonement/' 

I have under this conviction made the 
foregoing quotation, in order to prove that 
I alone was concerned in the composition 
of the manuscripts. Not that I am de- 
sirous of arrogating any merit to myself 
from the language contained in the manu- 
scripts, but that I wish to establish my ve- 
racity in this instance. 



132 

Mr. Talbot, in the foregoing quotation 
from his letter, alludes to his having agreed 
with me as to his connexion with the ma- 
nuscripts. He also mentions the supposed 
donor, under the letter H : and in speak- 
ing of the play of Vortigern, he confesses 
that he knows nothing of its " merits, plot, 
beauties, &c. ; ,J which would not have 
proved the case had Mr. Talbot aided me 
in the completion of the play. 

I have only to add, that I am heartily 
sorry that Mr. Talbot's kindness should 
have led him to sanction the business, and 
in any way connect his name with an affair 
which has involved its author in so much 
difficulty : and with this apology I shall 
conclude the present statement. 

FIRST IDEA OF THE PLAY OF VORTIGERN AND 
ROWENA. 

"When the idea of writing a play first 
took possession of my mind, I continued 
for some days undecided as to the subject 
most appropriate to the purpose ; when a 
large drawing executed by Mr. S. Ireland 



133 

(being a copy from a design of Mortimer's) 
representing Rowena in the act of present- 
ing wine to Vortigern, and which hung 
over the chimney piece in Mr. Ireland's 
study, suddenly attracted my attention. 
In consequence, when alone I took down 
Mr. Ireland's edition of Holinshed's Chro- 
nicle, and referred to the story of Vorti- 
gern as related by that historian ; when, 
conceiving it apt to my purpose, I imme- 
diately planned the outline of the play ; 
and with my usual impetuosity made 
known to Mr Ireland the discovery of such 
a piece, before a single line was really exe- 
cuted. In consequence of which I was 
unceasingly tormented for the manuscript ; 
which I brought forward in small portions, 
as I found time to compose it, in my own 
hand-writing, pretending to have copied 
it from the original : and I believe I may 
with safety aver, that the play, though 
procrastinated in the delivery, did not 
actually occupy more than two months' 
time in the composing ; notwithstanding 



134 

the inconveniences I had to surmount from 
Mr. Ireland's unceasing applications, from 
the questionings of the numerous persons 
who inspected the papers, and the difficulty 
I found in snatching opportunities to pro- 
ceed with the manuscript. 

It is extraordinary to observe how wil- 
lingly persons will blind themselves on any 
point interesting to their feelings. When 
it was known that a play on the subject 
of Vortigern was coming forward, every 
person who inspected the manuscripts ad- 
mired the strange coincidence of Mr. Ire- 
land's having so long possessed a drawing 
on the very subject of that drama ; yet do 
I not recollect, even in one instance, that 
the drawing in question excited the smallest 
suspicion of the fact above stated, which 
was unquestionably more consonant with 
probability. 

A considerable time after the production 
of this play, some believer in the papers 
desired Mr. Ireland to refer to Milton's 
works ; wherein it appears that he has 



135 

mentioned the story of Vortigern and 
Rowena, with some others, as very appro- 
priate for the drama. 

Thus have I precisely stated every fact, 
as to the first idea of the piece having 
taken possession of my mind. I therefore 
need scarcely add, that Milton's note upon 
the subject was totally unknown to me 
till after the completion of the play as be- 
fore mentioned, when that fact was stated 
to me by Mr. S. Ireland. 

DOUBTS IN THE COMPOSITION OF VORTIGERN. 

Being considerably under the age of 
eighteen when I wrote the play of Vorti- 
gern, the following fact will not appear 
singular. I was really so unacquainted 
with the proper length of a drama as to be 
compelled to count the number of lines in 
one of Shakspeare's plays, and on that 
standard to frame the Vortigern ; and the 
play I had chosen happening to be un- 
commonly long, mine consequently be- 
came so : when completed, it contained, to 
the best of my recollection, two thousand 



136 

eight hundred lines and upwards. Upon 
observing this, Mr. Sh*r*d*ii remarked, 
that "the purchase of the play was at any 
rate a good one, as there were two plays 
and a half, instead of one." I believe that 
fourteen hundred lines are quite sufficient 
for a regular drama of the present day. 

MR. H*RR*S OF CO VENT GARDEN THEATRE. 

When it was known that a play had been 
found among the supposed Shaksperian re- 
lics, Mr. H*rr*s of Covent Garden theatre, 
ever anxious for the advancement of the in- 
terests of that house, and naturally conceiv- 
ing, that, if well received by a British au- 
dience, a newly discovered play of Shak- 
speare's must prove a source of great profit 
to the theatre, dispatched Mr. W*ll*ce (fa- 
ther of the then actress of that name) with 
a carte blanche, in order that Mr. Ireland 
might state his terms : yet the long acquain- 
tance of our family with certain persons 
connected with the other theatre, and the 
promise made to them that the Vortigern 
should be performed on that stage (not- 



137 

withstanding the dilatory conduct of the 
managers of that house as to the com- 
pletion of the business), prompted Mr. 
Ireland to reject the very handsome pro- 
position made by Mr. H*rr*s : at whose 
theatre had the piece been represented I 
have heard it generally affirmed that it 
would have succeeded ; for at that house 
there was no jarring interest ; and whether 
the papers were accredited or not by 
Messrs. Steevens and Malone was nothing 
to the purpose — every performer would 
there have done his duty, and exerted 
himself for the benefit of his employers. 
How far such a line of conduct was pur- 
sued at Drury Lane, is too generally 
known for me to comment upon in the 
present instance. 

MR. SH*R*D*n's OPINION OF SHAKSPEARE. 

When it was agreed that Vortigern and 
Rowena should be represented at Drury 
Lane theatre, Mr. S. Ireland had very 
frequent conversations with Mr. Sh*r*d*n 
respecting the transcendent genius of our 



138 

bard ; and one day in particular, after 
Mr. S. Ireland had been as usual lavish 
in his encomiums, Mr. Sh*r*d*n remark- 
ed, that, however high Shakspeare might 
stand in the estimation of the public in ge- 
neral, he did not for his part regard him 
as a poet in that exalted light, although 
he allowed the brilliancy of his ideas, and 
the penetration of his mind. 

OPINIONS ON VORTIGERN. 

Previous to the agreement's being sign- 
ed respecting Vortigern and Rowena with 
the managers of Drury Lane theatre. Messrs. 
Sh*r*d*n and R*ch*rds*n waited upon 
Mr. Ireland, to inspect the fair copy of the 
play, which had been made from the ma- 
nuscript as produced in the disguised hand. 
After having perused several pages, Mr. 
Sh*r*d*n came to one line which was not 
strictly poetic ; upon which, turning to 
Mr. Ireland, he remarked — " This is rather 
strange ; for though you are acquainted 
with my opinion as to Shakspeare, yet, be 
it as it may, he certainly always wrote 



139 

poetry/' — Having perused a few pages 
further, Mr. Sh*r*d*n again paused, and, 
laying down the manuscript, spoke to the 
following effect : " There are certainly 
some bold ideas, but they are crude and 
undigested. It is very odd : one would be 
led to think that Shakspeare must have 
been very young when he wrote the play. 
As to the doubting whether it be really his 
or not, who can possibly look at the pa- 
pers, and not believe them ancient ?" 

AGREEMENT FOR THE PLAY OF VORTIGERN. 

After the most unaccountable procras- 
tination, the terms of the deed, as to the 
purchase of the Vortigern by Mr. Sh*r*- 
d*n, were agreed upon, and the papers 
drawn up by Mr. Albany Wallis of Nor- 
folk Street ; Mr. S. Ireland being made 
trustee for me, as I was then under age. 
The terms of the agreement were, that Mr. 
Sh*r*d*n should pay down three hundred 
pounds, and that the profits of the per- 
formance for the first sixty nights [that I 
believe to have been the number] should 



140 

be equally divided between Mr. Samuel 
Ireland and Mr. Sh*r*d*n, after deducting 
the necessary expenses of the theatre ; 
which sum was also specified, but has now 
entirely escaped my memory. 

The three hundred pounds was paid in 
notes of hand, at short dates, drawn upon 
Mr. H*mm*rsly the banker, out of which 
I received sixty pounds. I have thought 
it necessary to mention this ' circumstance, 
that the charge of avarice may not be at- 
tributed to me : such an idea having never 
once entered my mind during the whole 
period I was occupied in the fabrication 
of the papers : and indeed I must add, it 
would have been diametrically opposite to 
the established laws of nature, had I at the 
age of seventeen years and three quarters 
regularly entered upon such a scheme for 
the express purpose of amassing money ; 
and I will boldly challenge any person to 
come forward and accuse me, in any one 
instance, of a desire of securing to myself 
any portion of the profits which might be 
derived from the manuscripts. 



141 

malone's handbill. 

The following instance is in itself suffi- 
cient to evince the undue influence used 
by Mr. Malone, in order to establish his 
own opinions, and prejudice the public 
mind against the manuscripts. 

For some weeks previous to the per- 
formance of the play of Vortigern, Mr. 
Malone had daily given intimation that 
his Inquiry into the Validity of the Papers 
attributed to Shakspeare was on the eve 
of publication. The volume, however, did 
not appear until after the representation 
of the piece. In order, therefore, that Mr. 
Malone might not be backward on this oc- 
casion, it was stated in the course of the 
day that a handbill was to be delivered at 
the several avenues leading to Drury Lane 
theatre, which was to contain an affirma- 
tion, that Mr. Malone, in his work, would 
prove the whole to be a rank forgery ; and 
that, consequently, he had issued the said 
paper in order to caution persons against 
the fraud, and lead them to judge of the 
play in its proper light. In consequence 



142 

of this intelligence, Mr. S. Ireland caused 
a handbill to be printed, wherein he stated 
his knowledge of the modes that were 
adopted by Mr. Malone in opposition to 
the play ; and requested that all persons 
who should attend the representation of 
the piece would lay aside any prejudices 
that might arise in consequence of such 
invidious attacks, and suffer the piece to 
speak for itself. Such I know to have been 
the purport of Mr. Ireland's printed pa- 
per ; although at present I am unable to 
find out one of the handbills in question, 
the contents of which should have other- 
wise met the eye of the public. 

OVERFLOW 01 DRLRY LANE THEATRE. 

It is almost impossible to convey an ad- 
equate idea of the influx of persons who 
came to behold the representation of Yor- 
tigem. Every seat in the boxes had been 
previously taken ; and so eager were the 
public to witness the fate of the play, that 
numerous persons paid the box prices, not 
being able to pass the pit door with suffi- 
cient expedition ; after which, finding all 



143 

the places in the boxes in keeping for the 
various parties who had bespoken them for 
weeks previous, they dropped down from 
the lower tier of boxes into the pit, in 
order to procure seats. 

THE DRAMATIS PERSONS OF VORTIGERN. 

The names of the characters introduced 
in the play of Vortigern were as follow : 

Constantitjs personated by Mr. Bensley. ^ 

Afeelius Mr. Barrjmore. 

Uter Mr. Caulfield. 

Vortigern Mr. Kemble. 

WoETiMERirs Mr. Whitfield. 

Catagtrhstus -; . . . Mr. Trueman. 

Pasceftitjs Mr. C. Kemble. 

Hengist ......... Mr. Benson. 

Horstjs Mr. Phillimore. 

Fool Mr. King. 

Servant Master De Camp. 

Page Master Gregson. 

Edmttsda Mrs. Powell. 

Plavia Mrs. Jordan. 

Kowesta Miss Miller. 

iMiss Leake. 
Miss Tidswell. 
Miss Heard. 

Barons, Officers, Guards, &c. 



144 



mr. Ireland's box. 



The box occupied by Mr. Samuel Ire- 
land and his friends was in the centre of 
the house. It was t'ti: stated, though (I 
imagine) erroneously, that on Mr. Irelar. 
appearance in the theatre there was some 
indication ::' applause from different 
of the house. I did not enter the theatre 
till a very short period previous tc the 
rising ;: the curtain : and the box bein^ 
so very cons : I soon retired from 

observation behind the scenes- where I 
continued the greater part of the time of 
representation, eng. iged in conversation 
with Mrs. Jordan. 



PROLOGUE TC VORTl iERN. 

WKLTTES" BY SIB JAMES BI-A3TE 3UBGES3, BAZ7. 
SPOKEN BY MB. WHITJIELD. 

Xo common cause your verdict now demands : 

Before the court immortal Shafcspeare stands ; 

That mighty ma:: : the human soul, 

"Wlio rules the p ■;. :nd with strong controul 

Through ev ? ry turning of the changeful hr 

Directs his course sublime and leads his powerful art. 



145 

"When on his birth propitious Nature smil'd, 

And hung transported o'er her fav'rite child ; 

While on his fyead her choicest gifts she show'rd, 

And o'er his mind her inspiration pour'd ; 

" Proceed ! " she cried ; " the high decree fulfil ! 

" 'Tis thine to rule with magic sway the will ; 

" On Fancy's wing to stretch o'er boundless space, 

11 And all creation's varied works to trace : 

" 'Tis thine each flitting phantom to pursue, 

" Each hidden pow'r of verse to bring to view ; 

" To shed o'er British taste celestial day, 

" And reign o'er genius with unrival'd sway." 

Such was the high behest. — The sacred choice 

Long has been sanction' d by your candid voice. 

The favour'd relics of your Shakspeare's hand 

Unrival'd and inimitable stand. 

If hope of fame some modern bards has led 

To try the path where Shakspeare wont to tread. 

If with presumptuous wing they dar'd aspire 

To catch some portion of his sacred fire, 

Tour critic powers the vain attempt repell'd ; 

The flimsy vapour, by your breath dispell'd, 

Expos'd the trembling culprit to your sight, 

While Shakspeare's radiance shone with doubled light, 

From deep oblivion snatch' d, this play appears : 
It claims respect, since Shakspeare's name it bears ; 
That name, the source of wonder and delight, 
To a fair hearing has at least a right. 
We ask no more. With you the judgment lies : 
No forgeries escape your piercing eyes ! 

H 



146 

Unbiass'd, then, pronounce your dread decree, 

Alike from prejudice or favour free. 

If, the fierce ordeal pass'd, you chance to find 

Eich sterling ore, though rude and unrefin'd, 

Stamp it your own, assert your poet's fame, 

And add fresh wreaths to Shakspeare's honour'd name. 

mrs. Jordan's song. 

As the native sweetness of Mrs. Jordan's 
voice had so invariably excited public 
approbation, I conceived that by writing a 
ditty expressly for that lady I should in 
a great measure benefit the piece when 
represented. In consequence of this sup- 
position, I composed the annexed verses, 
which were very ably set to music by 
William Linley, esq., and were received 
with unbounded plaudits, when sung by 
the inimitable actress above mentioned, 
on the night of the representation of the 
play. 

I should here acquaint the reader, in 
order to account for the statement above 
(that the ditty was expressly composed for 
Mrs. Jordan), that every leading character 
introduced in the Vortigern was positively 



147 

written for some certain performer : and it 
was for the same reason that I caused Mrs. 
Jordan to assume the male attire, as she 
was so universally allowed to become the 
male costume. 

She sung, while from her eye ran down 

The silv'ry drop of sorrow : 
From G-rief she stole away the crown ; 
Sweet patience too did borrow. 
Pensive she sat, 
While Fortune frown' d, 
And smiling woo'd sad Melancholy. 

Keen Anguish fain would turn her heart, 

And sour her gentle mind ; 
But Charity still kept her part, 
And meekness to her soul did bind. 
She bow'd, content, 
Heav'd forth one sigh, 
Sang, wept, then turn'd to Melancholy. 

Careless her locks around her hung, 

And strove to catch each dewy tear ; 
The plaintive bird in pity sung, 

And breath' d his sorrow in her ear. 
Amazed, she look'd, 
And thank' d his care, 
Then sank once more to Melancholy. 



H 2 



148 

miSs leake's song. 

The following verse was written for the 
part of Edmunda, the wife of Vortigern ; 
supposed to be an effusion during her 
mental derangement, and alluding to her 
children, who had been compelled to fly 
their father s -palace on account of his bar- 
barity. The part of the queen being, 
however, sustained by Mrs. Powell, who 
has never appeared in the vocal line, the 
verse was sung by Miss Leake (who per- 
formed the part of an attendant), at the 
request of her royal mistress. 

The music of this stanza was also com- 
posed by W. Linley, esq., and received 
that tribute of praise to which its plaintive 
melody so justly entitled it. 

Last Whitsuntide they brought me 

Roses and lilies fair ; 
Violets too they gave me, 

To bind my auburn hair : 
But then my face look'd smiling, 

'Cause that my babes were near. 
Now yon stinging nettle bring : 

'Twill better suit this tear ! 



149 

PRESENTIMENT. 

There is something so appalling in the 
conviction that a man does not stand upon 
the basis of truth, that he shrinks with 
terror when circumstances appear most 
favourable to his wishes. On the impor- 
tant night which was to seal the fate of 
my long-expected Vortigern and Rowena, 
I spent the greater part of the time of its 
representation in the green-room of the 
theatre ; where I conversed for the most 
part with Mrs. Jordan ; who, at the com- 
mencement of the third act (at which 
period not a dissenting voice had been 
heard) congratulated me on the success of 
the piece, and gave it as her opinion that 
it would succeed. I am by no means su- 
perstitious, but a presentiment had taken 
possession of my mind (originating in the 
knowledge of the deception which charac- 
terised the whole production), which led 
me to augur very differently : and I then 
returned for answer, "That, notwith- 
standing appearances were auspicious to 
H3 



150 

the success of the play, I felt a full con- 
viction that it would not be a second time 
represent ed." How far my conjecture 
proved just, was fully demonstrated by 
the event of that night's representation. 

EPILOGUE TO VORTIGERN. 

WEITTEN BY THE LATE EOBEBT MEEBY, ESQ. 
SPOKEN BY MBS; JOBDAtf. 

Te solemn critics, wheresoe'er you're seated, 
To grant a favour may you be entreated ? ; 

For which I'll pay you proper adoration, 
And strive to please you — that is my vocation. 
Then do not frown, but give due share of praise y 
Nor rend from Shakspeare's tomb the sacred bays. 
The scatter'd flow'rs he left, benignly save : 
Posthumous flowers ; the garland of the grave ! 

"What though he liv'd two hundred years ago, 
He knew you very well, as I will show : 
His pencil sketch' d you, and that seldom errs : 
You're all, whate'er you think, his characters. 
How !■ — do you doubt it ? Cast your eyes around : 
In every corner of this house they're found, 
Observe the jolly grazier in the pit ; 
Why, he is Palstaif, fat and full of wit ; 
In fun and feasting places his delight, 
And with his Dolly emulates the knight. 
Look at that youth, whose countenance of woe 
Denotes a tender-hearted Romeo : 



151 

He only wishes, though he dare not speak, 

To be a glove to touch his Juliet's cheek : 

While she from yonder terrace smiles serene, 

And longs with him to play the garden scene. 

But — oh, I tremble now ! — there sits a man, 

Ragged and rough ; a very Caliban ! 

He growls out his displeasure. Tis a shame : 

Do, dear Miranda, make the monster tame. 

And, you my pretty Beatrice, don't fret 

Tour Benedick is fond of a coquette ; 

For though he vows he'll think no more about you, 

He means to marry : — he can't live without you. 

Kind faithful Imogens are here to charm us ; 

Mad Edgars, ancient Pistols, to alarm us ; 

And Hotspurs too, who seek the glorious boon 

" To pluck bright honour from the pale-fac'd moon." 

Besides, we have our Touchstones, Shylocks dire, 

Iagos false, and many a u Shallow" squire : 

Nay, there are ladies who in their own houses 

Are Desdemonas, plagued with jealous spouses. 

'Tis true there is some change, I must confess, 
Since Shakspeare's time ; at least in point of dress : 
The ruffs are gone, and the long female waist 
Yields to the Grecian more voluptuous taste ; 
"While circling beads the copious tresses bind, 
And the bare neck spreads beautiful behind. 
Our senators and peers no longer go, 
Like men in armour, glitt'ring in a row ; 
But, for the cloak and pointed beard, we note 
The close-cropt head and little short great coat. 
Yet is the modern Briton still the same : 
Eager to cherish and averse to blame ; 



Ij2 

Foe to deception ; ready to defend ; 
A kind protector and a gen'rous friend. 

OPPOSITIONS TO THE PLAT OP VORTIGERX. 

The following are the obstacles which 
were purposely opposed to the final suc- 
cess of the play of Votigern. 

MR. DIGNUM. 

I do not mean to detract from the me- 
rits of Mr. Dignum as a vocal performer ; 
but the idea of beholding that gentleman 
strut forth in tragedy is quite sufficient to 
excite risibility even in Melpomene her- 
self I have no doubt that that circum- 
stance was justly appreciated by the acting 
manager of the day, who in consequence 
suffered Mr. Dignum to ' belloir on*;' which 
he did so effectually, by his guttural pro- 
nunciation, as to set the whole house in a 
convulsive peal of laughter — a circum- 
stance highly conducive to the success of 
a tragedy ! ! 

* In a particular speech Mr. Dignum had to order 
the sounding of the trumpets ; the words being, 
— — let them bellow on ! 



153 

MR. PHILLIMORE. 

The late facetious Mr. Phillimore, of 
large-nosed memory, was also placed by 
the manager in a prominent point of 
view, having, if I recollect aright, to per- 
form the part of the Saxon general Horsus, 
whom I unfortunately killed in combat. 
That gentleman, on receiving the deadly 
wound (which proved, indeed, a deadly blow 
to my play), either from prior tuition or 
chance (I will not pretend to decide which) 
so placed his unfortunate carcass that on 
the falling of the drop-curtain he was li- 
terally divided between the audience and 
his brethren of the sock and buskin; his 
legs, &c, being towards the spectators, 
and his head, &c, inside the curtain, which 
concealed them from observation. This, 
however, was not the only calamity : for 
as the wooden roller at the bottom of the 
curtain was rather ponderous, Mr. Philli- 
more groaned beneath the unwelcome bur- 
den ; and finding his brethren somewhat 
dilatory in extricating him, he adopted 
H 5 



154 

the more natural expedient of extricating 
himself; which, for a dead man, was some- 
thing in the style of Mr. Bannister, jun., 
in the Critic, who tells Mr. Puff " that he 
cannot stay there dying all day." 

Mr. Phillimore's acceptation of the part 
was, however, very appropriate, and highly 
gratifying to an audience that came for 
the express purpose of using their pocket- 
handkerchiefs in the ajfetuoso, instead of 
wiping away the drops which overflowed 
from excess of laughter. 



CH*RL*S ST*RT, ESQ., M.P. 

I had almost forgot to mention the con- 
duct of Ch*rl*s St*rt, esq., M.P., who was 
seated in a private box even with the 
stage, and who was so exasperated at the 
pointed ill conduct and buffoonery of Mr. 
Phillimore, as to make several attempts to 
seize him by the robe ; in which case that 
gentleman might have had to encounter 
even a worse antagonist than was allotted 
to him in my play. 



155 



QUOTATION FROM MR. IRELAND S PREFACE TO 
THE PLAY OF YORTIGERN. 

" No man who recollects what was said and written 
in the public prints concerning this piece on the eve 
of its representation, and the ludicrous manner in 
which the principal character was sustained, can deny 
that the editor has a right to complain of the most illi- 
beral and injurious treatment. 

"Every undue stratagem, and every mean and petty 
artifice, was resorted to, within doors and without, to 
prejudice the public mind ; and one more deeply in- 
terested than had then or has yet appeared, though a 
professed trader on the subject of Shakspeare, on the 
day before the representation, under the title of An In 
quiry into the Authenticity of certain Miscellaneous 
Papers, &c, with this view, and the further expecta- 
tion of helping off a few copies, sent into the world a 
volume long before promised, and long since for- 
gotten. 

"This mass of dulness and selfconceit, consisting of 
about four hundred and thirty pages, established no- 
thing; and was built on principles — if it is not an abuse 
to apply to such trash a term so respectable — that could 
not possibly establish any thing. In every one of 
the instances which, with such a weak and overwean- 
ing confidence he so very idly brought forward, he 
has been exposed ; and in some of them has been him- 
self the author of his own childishness, incapacity, and 
ignorance. 

"In this state it was delivered to the theatre, with a 



156 

request, or rather entreaty, that all further alteration 
deemed necessary should be made by the acting ma- 
nager or any other person competent to the business. 
To this request he received the following official an- 
swer from Mr. Kemble : — ' That the play would be 
acted faithfully from the copy sent to the theatre/ And 
it was accordingly acted literally from the manuscript 
delivered to the house. This conduct was, as the editor 
believes, unprecedented in the management of a thea- 
tre; and must warrant him in concluding, that, in the 
judgement of the acting manager, the play wanted no 
aid or alteration." 



MR. KEMBLE. 

The conduct of this gentleman was too 
obvious to the whole audience to need 
much comment : I must, however, re- 
mark, that the particular line on which 
Mr. Kemble laid such a peculiar stress 
was in my humble opinion the ivatchword 
agreed upon by the Malone faction for 
the general howl. The speech alluded to 
ran as follows ; the line in Italics being 
that so particularly noticed by Mr, Kem- 
ble.— 

Time was, alas ! I needed not this spur : 
But here's a secret and a stinging thorn, 



157 

That woufids my troubled nerves. — conscience, con- 
science ! 
When thou didst cry, I strove to stop thy mouth, 
By boldly thrusting on thee dire Ambition. 
Then I did think myself indeed a god ! 
But I was sore deceiv'd : for as I pass'd, 
And travers'd in proud triumph the basse court, 
There I saw Death clad in most hideous colours. 
A sight it was that did appal my soul, 
Tea curdled thick this mass of blood within me. 
Full fifty breathless bodies struck my sight ; 
And some with gaping mouths did seem to mock me ; 
Whilst others, smiling in cold death itself, 
Scoffingly bade me look on that, which soon 
Would wrench from off my brow this sacred crown, 
And make me too a subject like themselves. 
Subject ! — to whom ? — to thee, O sov'reign Death ! 
Who hast for thy domain this world immense. 
Churchyards and charnel-houses are thy haunts, 
And hospitals thy sumptuous palaces. 
And when thou wouldst be merry, thou dost choose 
The gaudy chamber of a dying king. 
then thou dost ope wide thy hideous jaws, 
And with rude laughter and fantastic tricks 
Thou clapp'st thy rattling fingers to thy sides. 
And when this solemn mockery is o'er, 
With icy hand thou tak'st him by the feet, 
And upward, so, till thou dost reach the heart, 
And wrap him in the cloak of 'lasting night. 

No sooner was the above line uttered in 
the most sepulchral tone of voice possible. 



158 

and accompanied with that peculiar em- 
phasis which on a subsequent occasion .so 
justly rendered Mr. Kemble the object of 
criticism (viz., on the first representation of 
Mr. Colman s Iron Chest), than the most 
discordant howl echoed from the pit that 
ever assailed the organs of hearing. After 
the lapse of ten minutes, the clamour sub- 
sided ; when Mr. Kemble, having again 
obtained a hearing, instead of proceeding 
with the speech at the ensuing line, very 
politely, and in order to amuse the au- 
dience still more, redelivered the very line 
above quoted with even more solemn 
grimace than he. had in the first instance 
displayed. — This remark is not meant as 
invidious : foes as well as friends to the 
manuscripts allowed it ; and according 
to the trite adage, " what is by all allowed, 
must be true." 



MR. SH*R*D*n's DISAPPROBATION OP MR. 

kemble's conduct. 

As in case the play of Vortigern had 
met with success a very considerable pro- 



159 

fit must have accrued to the managers, 
Mr. Sh*r*d*n was much displeased at the 
conduct of the gentleman mentioned in 
the preceding paragraph, and, if I mistake 
not, gave vent to his feelings in nearly the 
following terms : that " he " (Mr. Sh*r*d*n) 
" had nothing to do with the private piques 
and animosities of Mr. Kemble, or whether 
he approved of the manuscripts or not : 
that he regarded that gentleman merely as 
a servant of the theatre ; and that it was 
consequently his duty to have exerted 
himself to the utmost for the benefit of 
his employ ers." 

APATHY. 

When the fate of Vortigern was de- 
cided, I returned, in company with Mr. S. 
Ireland, to Norfolk Street, where a few 
gentlemen shortly after arrived to converse 
on the events of the evening. As I found 
it more than probable that they would 
remain in conversation till a late hour, 
I retired to bed, more easy in my mind 
than I had been for a great length of time, 



160 

as the load was removed which had op- 
pressed me. 

I that night slept most profoundly, 
and even awoke in the morning much 
later than usual : and, on descending to 
breakfast, I was upbraided for my want of 
feeling on so momentous an occasion ; and 
the general wonder was, how I could pos- 
sibly sleep at all after such an event, 
which had deprived me of so great an 
emolument as would have accrued in case 
the play had been attended with success. 

RECEIPT FOR THE PLAY OF VORTIGER>\ 

On applying to the treasurer of Drury 
Lane theatre, the morning after the fate of 
the Vortigern had been decided, Mr. S. 
Ireland was given to understand that there 
were two hundred and six pounds in the 
treasury, after the payment of all ex- 
penses : consequently the division of that 
sum took place between the manager and 
Mr. S. Ireland, who received one hundred 
and three pounds ; out of which I had the 
sum of thirty pounds, which, together with 



161 

the sixty pounds received out of the three 
hundred pounds paid by Mr. Hammersly, 
conformably to the agreement on the deli- 
very of the manuscript of Vortigern and 
Rowena, made me a gainer of ninety 
pounds by the papers : and if I ever re- 
ceived one farthing in addition, let those 
who can controvert this statement boldly 
challenge me as to the fact, and establish, 
if possible, the falsehood of my position. 

MRS. POWELL. 

In the play of Vortigern, Mrs. Powell 
accepted the part of Edmunda (which had 
been previously offered to, but rejected by, 
Mrs. Siddons, on account of a cold under 
which she laboured.) The discrimination 
of the character evinced by Mrs. Powell 
called forth the reiterated peals of applause 
she so justly merited for her generous en- 
deavours on the night of representation : 
and on its being withdrawn, she expressed 
herself to Mr. Samuel Ireland with real 
sorrow ; stating, that, from theatrical cabcd 
it was so very seldom she had a part 



162 

allotted to her wherein she might exert 
herself to effect, that on the occasion of her 
flattering reception in the part of Ed- 
munda, she had hoped to experience a 
continuance of those testimonies of public 
favour which had been lavished upon her, 
by an uninterrupted run of the piece. 

MR. JOHN PALMER. 

The late Mr. John Palmer, the per- 
former, on the perusal of the play of Vorti- 
gern, was most particularly struck with 
the following lines in that drama ; which, 
he was pleased to say, conveyed all the 
spirit of the writer to whom I had attri- 
buted them. They were delivered by Mr. 
Kemble, in the part of Vortigern ; being as 
follows : 

Give me a sword ! 
I have so clogg'd and badged this with blood 
And slipperyjgore, that it doth mock my gripe. 
A sword ! I say. 

Vortigern was supposed to be returning 
hastily from the thickest of the battle, 
where he had been engaged in dreadful 
carnage. 



- I 



163 

PUBLICATION OF THE PLAY OF VORTIGERN. 

It is astonishing to observe how very 
frequently persons neglect opportunities 
which present themselves of realising 
money. Either from bad advice or some 
secret motive, Mr. Samuel Ireland, instead 
of publishing the play of Vortigern on the 
night of its representation, deferred the 
bringing of it forward until after I had con- 
fessed that the manuscripts were the pro- 
ductions of my own pen ; whereas, had Mr. 
Ireland followed a different line of con- 
duct, the profits of the piece would have 
been exceedingly great ; for having some 
time after demanded the opinion of Mr. 
Barker, the bookseller, of Russel Street, 
Covent Garden, respecting the publication 
of that play, he stated to me as follows : — 
" Sir, had Mr. Samuel Ireland applied to 
me ten days previous to the night of the 
performance of the piece, and desired to 
know what I would have given for the 
manuscript of the Vortigern, I would have 
bound myself under any penalty not to 



164 

have made one copy public before the 
hour of four on the night of its representa- 
tion; and, under such a restriction, I 
would gladly have paid him one thousand 
guineas for the copy-right, taking every 
risk upon myself as to the future sale of the 
production." 

PRINTING OF THE PLATS OF VORTIGERN AND 
HENRY THE SECOND. 

A considerable period having transpired 
from the representation of Vortigern at 
Drury Lane theatre, Mr. Samuel Ireland 
applied to Mr. Barker to become the pub- 
lisher of that drama, as well as the Henry 
the Second, which soon afterwards appear- 
ed, and is at the present moment to be 
purchased at his shop in Russel Street. 

I cannot close this statement respecting 
Mr. Barker without offering him my sin- 
cere thanks for many curious facts con- 
tained in these volumes which would have 
otherwise escaped my recollection, as well 
as for his kindness in having obliged me by 
the loan of several pamphlets on the sub- 



165 

ject of the manuscripts, which, are now out 
of print and very rarely to be found. 

CONCLUSIVE STATEMENT RELATIVE TO VORTI- 
GERN. 

As internal tranquillity is the most es- 
timable blessing human nature can enjoy, 
I think it requisite, ere I close the state- 
ments respecting the play of Vortigern, to 
insert the ensuing stanzas, which were 
composed after the condemnation of that 
piece, which had for so long a period 
occupied the public attention, and had 
so uuceasingiy preyed upon my feelings as 
to render my life burdensome to me. 



ON BEING BELIEVED PBOM THE WEIGHT WHICH 
OPPEESSED MY MIND* 

'Tis not the bolt, the bar, and cell, 
That can controul mankind : 

That which alone creates his hell 
Is a tormented mini 

'Tis not the genius fraught with fires 

That galling fetters bind, 
But 'tis that wretch whose vile desires 

Have gangren'd o'er his mind. 



166 

? Tis not the prison's baleful gloom, 

Nor jailer's mien unkind ; 
[No ; not all these can ever doom 

The free and guiltless mind. 

'Tis not the terror of disgrace 

That keeps the soul confin'd ; 
All ills the suff'rer may efface, 

So he be free in mind. 

Such is my plea : with this I'm bless'd : 

For, after all, I find, 
"With sovereign Truth my soul's at rest ; 

All's tranquil in my mind. 

THE PLAT OF HENRY THE SECOND. 

Having heard with attention the diver- 
sity of opinions which had been given re- 
specting the play of Vortigern, I conceived 
that I might profit by the information 
thus acquired, and therefore determined 
on writing another drama, which I planned 
from the story of Henry the Second and 
fair Rosamond ; a subject that appeared 
to me amply stored with incident for the 
structure of a dramatic performance : and 
to the selection of that monarch's reign 
I was the more incited, as the genius of 
William Shakspeare had been so amply 



167 

displayed in dramatising the histories of 
our Henries — the Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth. 
On the completion of this play, it was by all 
allowed to be a more finished composi- 
tion than the Vortigern ; and the only 
regret was that I had not brought it for- 
ward prior to that play. There is however 
a very conclusive reason on that head : 
for as it had never been thought of till a 
considerable time after the production of 
Vortigern, I might exclain, with the Go- 
vernor in the Critic, 

" The Spanish fleet thou canst not see . . . because . . . 
It is not yet in sight." 

The plan of the play of Henry the Se- 
cond I formed from a thin folio containing 
the life and reign of that monarch : and I 
was about ten weeks occupied in its com- 
position. It was delivered to Mr. Samuel 
Ireland in my own hand- writing : nor was 
I ever at the trouble of reproducing it in 
the disguised hand, upon old paper, as my 
confession of the transaction intervened, 
and thus prevented my being put to that 
unnecessary trouble. 






QUOTATIONS FROM THE PI. AY OF HENRY THE 
SECOND. 

As the composition of Henry the Be* 
.:! vr:,s esteemed so far super: ray 

Yortigem. I shall in the present 

aert a few passages which were deemed 

most striking 1 bv those gentlemen who 

were in the habits of frequenting Mr. Sa- 
ri Ireland's mansion. 

The following lines appeal 1 in that scene 
where the King is first supposed to meet 
Rosamond de Clifford ; being meant as de- 
scriptive of himself. — 

Henry. that I could mellow this iron tongue. 
A--:. :as_.::n i: :: music of so: 
But so ir is. from my cmldhood upwards 

q bred in hoarse and jarring war : 
My spring of youth within a camp was src_ 
T^ere Lave I sar upon a soldier's knee : 
" :_ : ■;._ . loj e :k was twin'd a giant arm, 

rugniy so: rh: might say indeed 

Ihe sinewfl that did work it were of brass: 
r 'twas I Irarn: the soldier's untun'd s: 
The morning's onset, and the bloody 'fray. 
Here cou i'd and foaming s:. 

TTith nre-spitting eyes and trampling ho:: 

k bestrode an English knight. 
Unuumber'd were the youths of Prance Lc slew. 



169 

Of Bourbon's sons or Orleans' proud heirs. 

How many pedigrees and cotes d'armures 

Beneath his mighty arm were blotted out ! 

Whilst smoking from their horses' flanks ran down 

The blood of all their proud nobility. 

Then would he tell how long the fight did last, — 

From six i'the morn till ev'ning clocks toll'd eight ; 

How then they bore from off the blood-stain'd field 

Their clay- cold fathers, brothers, countrymen. — 

Here would he pause awhile 

(For memory did whisper pleasures past), 

Till I with childish innocence look'd up, 

And bade him to go on. — But, oh ! the sight 

Turn'd towards, was his glittering eyes. 

"Whilst the big tears from off his rugged chin 

Eain'd down upon my young and beardless face, 

I would have chid his silence, but could not ; 

For if such sturdy hearts as his could melt, 

Why, then methought there must be cause indeed. — ■ 

This, lady, was my school ; thus was I taught : 

And if such tales can please thy tender ear, 

Rough and unpolish'd as most true they are, 

Behold the man will sit the live-long day, 

Of lingering sieges, marchings, battles, tell ; 

Where thirsty Mars so glut hath been with blood, 

That sick'ning appetite yearn'd out " no more !" 

The ensuing lines were given to the 
King, in one of the scenes where he is 
supposed to express his ardent passion for 
the object that enslaved his mind. 



170 

Henry. Yes, sweet love ! but Venus too was busy ; 
And whilst she did bedeck thee with her charms, 
Was pleas'd so with the work, that she ne'er thought 
How she herself had stripp'd, giving thee all ! 
As I kiss thee, methinks sweet Love himself 
Sits on thy front, and waves thy silv'ry hair, 
As, jealous, he would keep me from the theft. 
Yet he ne'er thinks how ev'ry gentle touch, 
Prom these, his silken whips, make it more sweet ; 
For, gliding o'er my lips, they do distil 
Thick golden odours, to the taste as sweet 
As sleepy dove's eyes to the love-sick heart. 

The annexed speeches were given to 
the haughty Becket, in different parts of 
the play of Henry the Second, and were 
much dwelt upon by numerous persons 
who esteemed themselves perfect judges 
of Shakspeare's style and his mode of ex- 
pression. 

Becket. Why, thus and thus it is : the matter argu'd, 
Both parts justly weigh' d and well consider' d, 
Judgement too given with no partial tongue, 
Will speak this verdict : — 
Happiness with Ambition bears no kin : 
For thus : Content dwells not with Ambition ; 
And he who lacks content lacks happiness. 
This lab'ring mind, then, tells me 't would be happy, 
Yet whispers "I would fain be greater too." — 



171 

Peace ! thou vile intruding mass of folly ! 

Thou'dst willingly embrace two properties 

Which bear such hatred and dread enmity 

That soon they'd kindle, blaze, and burn thee up. 

Of one then make thy choice : more thou canst not, — 

Give me, then, greatness. Hath not Fortune bow'd, 

Stoop'd, cring'd, yea knelt, that I should raise her up ? 

For what was Becket but a poor man's son, 

That walks the common vulgar road of life : 

Dies : when dead, is quite forgotten ? 

What is Becket now ? — the friend of Theobald ! 

Who ranks in station and in dignity 

Next to the king himself ; yea, and more too, 

For he doth bear the crown of holy church, 

Is king and sov'reign o'er the souls of men, 

And not of earthly matters the frail judge. 

Becket. What! e'en so? archdeacon of my church ? 
Aye, and, if my senses do not mock me, 
More shall be thine ere long. So went the tune ; 
And in conclusion, " Thou mayst command me." — 
Now, Becket, say to thyself, Wouldst be poor ? 
Wouldst shun ambition ? Wouldst spurn at greatness ? 
No ! no ! thou'rt anhunger'd, and I will feed thee. 
Off, then, vile suit ! go cover silly knaves, 
That know to cringe whene'er the great man frowns. — 
Henceforth be thou stubborn, proud, and haughty. 
If majesty do frown, knit thou thy brow ; 
If he do smile, why then be thou placid : 
Yet always bear in mind thy dignity. — 
But hold ! Who is't comes hither to lord me ? 
Brave Harry ! proud, and haughty too, as I. 

12 



172 

Noble his spirit as his mind is great : 
Distant to those whom most he doth esteem ; 
Tea, in so much that no man e'er could say 
" I was the friend, the favour'd, of my prince." 
If so, Becket, how compass thy great ends ? 
Shame ! thou fickle mind, wilt thou flag at last ? 
Doth not the seaman, for some hundred marks, 
Plough the rude waves, and in a little case, 
In compass scarcely bigger than a needle's eye 
"When floating on this vasty element, 
Doth he not risk both life and wealth to boot ; 
And shall Becket be afraid ? Me ! shame on't ! 
Oh, attend then, each organ of the soul : 
Hear thy stern lord's peremptory decree, 
And on thy coronet 'grave thou these words, — 
" If Becket lives, then lives he in greatness ; 
" If not, why then content let Becket die." 
Life sans renown a thing so lowly is, 
That dusky oblivion were sweeter far. 

Becket. The dying man that can thus sweetly sleep, 
Must wear a soul within his outward flesh 
That knows no sin. — How gently heaves his breast 
All covered with the silky snow-white beard ! 
He smiles, as if an angel kiss'd his lips, 
And whisper'd him of joys that were to come. 
Sweet soul ! thou hast an everlasting seat, 
A throne in Heav'n above. — Could men but look, 
And see a sight like this, they were all blest : 
Sin would grow out of date, would be forgot. 

Becket. Man hath his day of joy and misery. 



173 

How short the one ! how lasting is the other f 
With me, the first is long blown o'er, and now 
The second comes, to mock my tortur'd soul 
With ideot laughter, ringing to mine ears 
My loss of power, my faded glory ! — 
This o'erpeering front, that bore a sun 
Outshone the girdled brow of majesty, 
Now clouded, dim, and pale ! Oh, I am sick I — 
Tush! tush! the sleep of death will cure all thoughts,- 
And yet, must this my wholesome goodly flesh 
Rot, and serve to feed the crawling earth-worm, 
Who nothing savours but of dust and clay ?— 
I tremble at the thought ! And e'en but now 
They wind about my flesh, and to the feel 
Are damp and cold as that same humid sweat 
Which frets from out the front of dying man !— 
Tet it must be so : Death will have his due ; 
The worm will feast his fill, and man must rot. 
Thus much for the body corruptible. 
As for the soul ! — I would, but cannot, speak - T 
And were I, all would be conjectural ; 
My account would stand as clear at last 
As now that I have nothing utter' d. 



EPILOGUE TO KING HENRY THE SECOND, 

The following lines were composed in 
imitation of the choruses introduced in 
many of Shakspeare's historical plays, and 
in order to apologise to the audience for 
the change of time and place ; which must 

i 3 



174 

necessarily occur in composing a drama 
comprising many years of the life of the 
principal character of the scene. I need 
scarcely add, that the two concluding 
lines were meant to allude to mvself, 
though the believers in the paper sup- 
posed them to intimate that it was our 
bard who was young when the drama 
in question w r as written. The introduc- 
tion of such a couplet was assuredly 
incautious ; but I then conceived myself 
so secure from detection that I was not 
deterred from producing them : and in- 
deed, when the story relative to one Wil- 
liam-Henry Ireland, which will appear in 
a subsequent part of this work, is taken 
into consideration, every reader must con- 
fess that there could be no hazard in the 
introduction of the two lines in question. 

If from our play returning to your homes, 

Ye chance to read the story as 'tis writ, 

And find our Harry cross the seas for France ; 

Our Becket unto Eome for succour fly ; 

Thence unto Louis' court, to meet his king ; 

"Where, friends, ye find this haughty priest once more 



175 

Invited home unto his dignities : 
When this ye read, do not your author blame : 
He could not bear ye on swift lightning's wing, 
O'er billowy seas, deserts, and gay towns ; 
Or show within tbe compass of one hour 
The business of a twenty summers' course. 
Tet, should ye frown, look back upon his play, 
And let our Harry's courage and sweet love 
Forgiveness beg for his o'erleaping time. 
Our haughty and ambitious Becket, too, 
Shall plead the lack of time. Tet, after all, 
Should any present still remain unkind, 
And carry with him to his nightly couch 
The frown of discontent : Oh, should this be, 
Then think how much the writer here hath toil'd 
To please, and show, in this our Harry's reign, 
The pride and glory of our English land, 
The unstain'd thunder of our regal lion. 
No brow so rough but sure will smooth at this ; 
No frown so black but will to sweetness turn, 
And, bright as sun when bursting from the east, 

Drive night away. Tet why entreat ye thus ? 

No more, no more : ye smile, and look so sweet, 
I'll to our young and trembling author say, 
Te heard, ye smil'd, and did applaud his play. 



BIOGRAPHIA DRAMATICA. 

Some time after the production of the 
play of King Henry the Second, Mr. S. 
Ireland accidentally met with a passage in 

I 4 



176 

the Biographia Dramatica which tended 
greatly to strengthen the believers in the 
manuscripts in their opinion of the ori- 
ginality of the play of Henry the Second. 
The words in the Biographia were as fol- 
low : 

" Henry I. and Henry II., by ¥m. Shakspeare and 
Bob, Davenport. — In the books of the Stationers' com- 
pany, tbe 9th of Sept. 1653, an entry is made of the 
above title ; but what species of the drama it was, or 
whether one or two performances, are facts not ascer- 
tained. Whatever it might be, it suffered in the general 
havoc made by Mr. Warburton's servant." 

PUBLICATION OF HENRY II. 

On the 14th of June 1796 I wrote a 
letter to Mr. Samuel Ireland, of which one 
paragraph will plainly prove how uncon- 
nected my actions were with any thing 
like a desire of gain. The passage is as 
follows : 

"As you have yet no proof but my 
parole for the gift of Henry the Second, I 
now tell you that I beg your acceptance of 
the publication of "V ortigern, and the whole 
of the profits of Henry the Second.' ' 



177 

The above circumstance would have 
escaped my recollection did it not appear 
in Mr. S. Ireland's printed advertisement at 
the beginning of the play of Henry the 
Second (vide page 2), where it was pur- 
posely inserted to prove Mr. Ireland's 
right to the publication of the dramas 
in question. 

A SERIES OF DRAMAS FROM WILLIAM THE CON- 
QUEROR TO QUEEN ELIZABETH. 

Had the play of Vortigern succeeded 
with the public, and the manuscripts been 
acknowledged as genuine, it was my inten- 
tion to have completed a series of plays 
from the reign of William the Conqueror 
to that of queen Elizabeth ; that is to say, 
I should have planned a drama on every 
reign the subject of which had not been 
treated of by Shakspeare. 

PLANS OF CERTAIN PLAYS DEPOSITED IN THE 
HANDS OF ALBANY WALLIS, ESQ. 

Upon my confession of the whole trans- 
action to Mr. Albany Wallis (as will be 

I 5 



178 

hereinafter stated), I placed in that gentle- 
man's hands the written outlines of dramas 
on some few of our monarchs' reigns which 
had not occupied the genius of our bard. 
The theatrical production descriptive of the 
reign of queen Elizabeth I intended to 
have entitled The Virgin Queen. The 
subject of William the Conqueror had, 
however, greatly occupied my attention : 
and some portion of the play having been 
written, I shall give, under the following 
head, a specimen of the style. 

SPEECH FROM THE PLAY OE WILLIAM THE CON- 
QUEROR, IMITATIVE OE SHAKSPEARE's STYLE. 

The ensuing lines were to have been 
delivered by Earl Edwyn (who entered into 
a conspiracy against the Norman invader); 
after waiting for Marcarus, another con- 
spirator, near Westminster Abbey. 

Oh my good lord, how irksome pass'd the time 
"While in yon porch I did await your coming ! 
Tet as this crystal arch, this bright heaven, 
Doth shine upon the emerald-tipped wave, 
And paint upon the deep each passing cloud ; 
E'en so the smallest and most gentle plant 



179 

That waves before the breath of thee, sweet heaven, 

To man gives food for contemplation, 

And shows how soon his blazing flame of youth 

Must sink on age's chilling icy bed, 

And dwindle down to second nothingness. 

Look but on yon clock, whose lanky fingers, 

The tolling heralds of swift- winged Time; 

Whose clapper wakens men from drowsy sleep, 

Changing the dreary stillness of black night 

To day's fi?st infancy, the blushing morn ; 

"While blest Aurora rears her purple crest, 

And tip-toe stands, shaking her golden hair, 

Eager to visit the busy sons of men : 

Her blazing journey ended, down she sinks ; 

And so I liken her to man's strange end. 

Look on yon pile, under whose fretted roof 

So many kings have seiz'd the precious gem 

Of royalty, and suck'd the courtiers' 

Lip-labour' d lies 

Where are ye now ? — dead, alas ! and rotten ! — 
Oh, my good lord, let us from hence away : 
This spot doth smell too strong of royal dust ; 
Throwing its lures to catch the minds of men ; 
Blowing in their ears the fev'rous blast 
Of mirth, feasts, merriment, prosperity ; 
Till on a sudden grappling with their souls, 
Thou knittest them at once in death eterne. 



180 

THE DEVIL AND RICHARD. 

Having perused several curious inter- 
ludes and sacred mysteries, from the pen 
of Bayle, &c, I determined on producing 
a performance of the same nature, and se- 
lected the subject of the Devil and Richard 
the Third ; supposing it to have been per- 
formed, immediately after the coronation 
of king Henry the Seventh, by the singing 
boys of St. Paul's cathedral. I made a con- 
siderable advance in this interlude ; which 
I had written fair upon vellum, emblazon- 
ing the margins and capital letters in the 
missal style. Upon my discovery of the 
whole Shaksperian business, as much as 
was executed of the performance in que- 
stion fell into the hands of Mr. George 
Steevens, who procured it from Mr. Ri- 
chardson, printseller, in the Strand. As I 
have no transcript of the piece in question, 
the following plan of the title of the inter- 
lude as written, is merely from recollec- 
tion : the four lines succeeding I remember 



181 

were spoken by Richard the Third, on the 
appearance of the Devil. 

" An Enterlude 

off the 

Divil ande Bicharde 

As yt was don by the Boyes of Powles 

Att the Crownacion of owr Soveraine Lorde Kynge 

Henry e seven afterrtheKyllynge off the Bloode Traitor 

Bicharde att the Battaile off Bosworthe feeld," Sfc. 

" maisterr Divil, I wou'd crownedd bee, 
Ande toe my wife tak faireste Elsabethe. 

Wilte thou wi~~ awl thye myghte and mayne ayde mee, 
Ande kynge's sonns straite laye in coldenn dethe ?" 

The principal characters in this curious 
performance were King Richard the Third, 
King Henry the Seventh, the Archangel 
Gabriel, the Devil, &c. 

FIRE AT MR. WARBURTON's. 

Many objections continued to be raised 
against the scorched appearance of all the 
papers (which I have fully accounted for 
under the head " Shaksperian Ink"), till a 
circumstance occurred, at a period when 
the papers were very voluminous, which 
seemed to throw a new light on the busi- 



182 

ness, and even more strongly to validate 
the authenticity of the manuscripts. Mr. 
S. Ireland, upon inquiry, was credibly in- 
formed, by persons who had known Mr. 
Warburton, that a fire happened at his 
house in the neighbourhood of Fleet Street, 
about thirty-six years before, that destroyed 
all his effects, amongst which were many 
books and manuscripts. Many of these 
papers were shrewdly surmised to have 
been the writings of Shakspeare : so that 
when that circumstance was stated to me, 
who was anxious to catch at any substan- 
tiated fact which might apply to the pa- 
pers, I consequently stated "that the world, 
I trusted, would no longer entertain a 
doubt as to the validity of the papers, as 
their burned appearance was now ac- 
counted for by their having been rescued 
during the conflagration of Mr. Warbur- 
ton's property/' 

ADMISSION TICKET. 

The influx of persons to see the manu- 
scripts increased to such a degree as to 



183 

render it necessary that some regular plan 
should be adopted, in order that Mr. Ire- 
land's house might not be an exhibition at 
all hours of the day : in consequence of 
which, cards were printed in the following 
terms, which were distributed among the 
subscribers to the Shaksperian volume ; 
each of whom was entitled to bring with 
him one gentleman or lady, to inspect the 
papers, on the days appointed (being 
Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays), be- 
tween the hours of twelve and three. 

" SHAKSPEAEE 

" Admit a subscriber, to view the Shak- 

speare papers, at No. 8, Norfolk Street, Strand. 

day of 1795." 

PUBLICATION OF THE MISCELLANEOUS PAPERS. 

As the papers at this period had excited 
universal attention, and as Mr. S. Ireland 
conceived, that, if published, they would 
give infinite satisfaction to the public, and 
prove a source of benefit to his family, I 
was of course applied to, in order to know 
whether the supposed gentleman would 



184 

have any objection to the manuscripts 
being printed : my reply was immediately 
as follows : "they were only given to me 
as curiosities ; and by no means will the 
gentleman agree to their being made pub- 
lic/' From that period the above question 
was unceasingly put to me ; and with some 
degree of warmth Mr. Ireland would fre- 
quently remark, " If the gentleman be a 
friend of yours, why does he set his face 
against a publication which it is admitted 
on all hands would be productive of a for- 
tune to you?" My reply was still inva- 
riably the same. — At length these constant 
importunities rendered life almost insup- 
portable : and I then for the first time 
ventured to question Mr. Ireland in the 
following manner : " Suppose they should 
not be really manuscripts of Shakspeare's ?" 
The reply was : "If all the men of abilities 
living were now to come forward and seve- 
rally attest that each had undertaken his 
particular part to produce those papers, 
I would not believe them." — The fact was, 
I had an idea of hazarding every oppro- 



185 

brium, and confessing the fact, rather than 
witness the publication of the papers : but 
when such an answer was made to my first 
inquiry, I very naturally concluded, if Mr. 
Ireland be of such an opinion, how will 
he credit the affirmation that I have alone 
planned and executed the papers ? — From 
that period I became even more uncom- 
fortable : and one day after dinner, some 
warm conversation having transpired, I ex- 
claimed, in the heat of the moment, and 
to procure some peace, " Well, sir, if you 
are determined on publishing the papers, 
remember, I deliver this message from the 
gentleman — ' You do it at your own risk' ; 
as he will have no concern in the business, 
or ever give up his name to the world." — 
" On those terms I very willingly accept 
his acquiescence," was Mr. Ireland's reply ; 
and from that moment the intended pub- 
lication of the work was announced to the 
world. 

PROSPECTUS. 

The following was the plan of the pro- 
posal delivered to such persons as came to 



186 

view the manuscripts when the publication 
of the papers was decided upon by Mr. 
Samuel Ireland. — 

" SHAKSPEABE 

" Norfolk Street, Strand, March 4, 1795. 

" Mr. Samuel Ireland begs leave to acquaint the 
public, that the literary treasure which has recently 
fallen into his hands, forming an interesting part of the 
works of our divine bard, Shakspeare, is now arranging, 
and will speedily be put to press. 

"This publication will consist of a variety of authen- 
tic and important documents respecting the private and 
public life of this wondrous man ; an original compli- 
mentary letter from queen Elizabeth, under her own 
hand, and authenticated by that of the bard ; original 
deeds, contracts, and other instruments relative to his 
theatrical concern ; an original correspondence with a 
noble personage upon a transaction nearly interesting to 
himself; a letter, and five stanzas in verse, written in his 
own hand when very young, and addressed to the lady 
whom he afterwards married ; together with the expres- 
sion and feeling of his very soul upon a subject the most 
momentous that can occupy the thoughts of mortal man. 

" All these papers, except the legal instruments, are 
in his hand- writing, and these are under the hand and 
seal of himself, and the parties concerned. 

" In this publication will likewise be given a copy of 
the tragedy of King Lear, from the original manuscript, 
in the hand- writing of Shakspeare. This copy will be 
found materially to differ, in various particulars of much 
curiosity and interest, from any edition of that play 
now extant. 



187 

" In this volume fac- similes will be given of the above 
miscellaneous manuscripts, and of the title-page, and 
first and last leaves of the play, which, Mr Ireland pre- 
sumes, will be deemed sufficient specimens of the whole. 

u The work will be further illustrated with engra- 
vings from original drawings which have been found 
among the manuscripts above mentioned, and which 
will add new lights to the history of the British stage, 
of which Shakspeare may truly be denominated the 
mighty father. 

" This publication will be comprised in one volume, 
to correspond with the folio edition of Shakspeare now 
printing at the Shakspeare press, and will be forwarded 
for publication with all possible dispatch. 

" A.s this work will be attended with considerable 
expense and trouble, Mr. Ireland receives subscriptions 
at his house in Norfolk Street ; Mr. Faulder's, in New 
Bond Street; Mr. Egerton's, at Whitehall; Mr. Payne's, 
at the Mews Gate ; Messrs. White's, in Fleet Street ; 
and at Messrs. Leigh and Sotheby's, York Street, Co- 
vent Garden. 

u The price to subscribers will be four guineas. 

" Any gentleman, on sending his address in writing, 
or being introduced by a subscriber, may view the MSS. 
at No. 8, Norfolk Street,on Mondays, Wednesdays, and 
Fridays, between the hours of twelve and three. 

" Mr Ireland acquaints every gentleman who has paid 
his subscription, and who has not seen the papers, that if 
on viewing them he feels any doubt respecting their authen- 
ticity he may instantly have his subscription returned. 

" Mr Ireland informs the public, that with the above 
papers was discovered an historical play, founded on the 



188 

story of Tortigern and Eowena, taken from Holingshed, 
and which is in the hand-writing of Shakspeare. — This 
playbeingintendedfortheatricalrepresentation,willnot 
be printed till the eve of its appearance on the stage." 

TO THE MAXES OR THE REPRESENTATIVE OE THE 
LATE EARL OE CHARLEMONT. 

To the letter addressed to the earl of 
Charlemont, at the commencement of 
Mr. Malone's Inquiry into the authenti- 
city of the supposed Shaksperian MSS., 
page 1, is the following note, reflecting as 
much honour on his late lordship as on the 
writer of the paragraph in question. — 

"As my noble friend's name (lord Charlemont) 
appeared in the list of subscribers prefixed to the 
Miscellaneous Papers, ^c, here examined, I am au- 
thorized by him to say, that he subscribed to that work 
at the request of a gentleman who furnished him with a 
splendid prospectus of it, which he carried from hence 
to Ireland ; and that, if lord Charlemont had known as 
much of it as he now does, he would not have given 
either his name or his money to the publication/' 

As Mr. Malone was warranted by his 
lordship to insert the above, I think the 
earl of Charlemont, who confessedly had 
the prospectus, might have perused the 



189 

lines which appear in italics ; as his lordship 
would not in that case have had to bemoan 
the payment of his money : but should he 
still lament the imposition practised upon 
his purse, the sum is not so exorbitant but 
he may redeem it, by returning the volume 
to W. H. Ireland, who is always to be 
heard of, among the Nine, in Grubb Street; 
though not exactly amusing himself in 
playing at bowls, as was Willy Shakspeare, 
according to the rhapsody of Mr. Malone. 

APOLLO AND MALONE. 

At the close of the celebrated Inquiry in- 
to the authenticity of the supposed Shak- 
sperian manuscripts (consisting of upwards 
of 400 pages written expressly to prove 
that a forgery which the author asserts was 
so palpable a one as to be discoverable at 
the first glance), Mr. Malone falls into one 
of his Hibernian slumbers, and in that som- 
niferous state supposes himself wafted to 
the court of Apollo, to hear the judge- 
ment of that god on the daring impostor. 
Having perused the farrago of nonsense, 



190 

in the dream alluded to (vide page 356, dkc, 
of the work above quoted), Mr. Ireland 
wrote the following impromptu. 

"With a sorrowful phiz, sage Minerva, one morn, 
Apollo bespoke, on Parnassus' high steep : 

" 'Tis stated Malone is come here !" "With just scorn 
Apollo replied, " He was in his sleep." 

THE CHANDOS PICTURE. 

In the above-mentioned dream Mr. Ma- 
lone is honoured with the sight of several 
of our poetic ancestors, who are facetiously 
engaged in a game at bowls ; and among 
the rest he instantly recognises his dear 
friend William Shakspeare, occupied with 
the same amusement, from the strong 
resemblance he bore to the only authentic 
portrait of him, which belonged to the late 
duke of Chandos, and of which, says the 
egotist, " / have three copies by eminent 
masters." This circumstance produced 
the annexed jeu d' esprit. — 

I knew our Shakspeare's gentle face : 
The reason why you'll plainly see : 

His picture 'long'd to Chandos' Grace ; 
Of which I've got rare copies three. 



191 

THE COMMENTATOR COMMENTED UPON. 

There are certain persons so attached 
to the word ego, that, for the sake of in- 
troducing the following couplets with eclat, 
I shall suppose the critic alluded to pen- 
ning as follows : 

" Lines addressed to me upon my learned and very- 
deep researches, emendations, corrections, and the 
new light which I have thrown upon the readings 
of our immortal bard in my last celebrated edition 
of the works of William Shakspeare, $c. 

An Irish critic, stor'd with brains of wool, 
Produc'd an Irish brat, — an Irish bull ; 
Made notes on him whose genius we adore ; 
Besmear'd of Avon's bard the'sterling lore ; 
Prov'd by his notes what Shakspeare was at once, 
— A godlike bard — himself, an Irish dunce?'* 

MR. MALONE's WISH. 

I will not exactly vouch for the truth 
of the following statement, but I was abso- 
lutely informed that after Mr. Malone had 
perused the above lines, in a volume rela- 
tive to my Shaksperian fabrication, which 
was placed in his hands, he returned the 



192 

book in question stating, " There is but 
one more document I wish to see respect- 
ing him/' alluding to myself : " and what 
is that, sir?" was the interrogatory. " His 
last dying speech and confession/' an- 
swered the commentator with petulance, 
delivering the volume into the hands of 
the person to whom he had so addressed 
himself. 

MAISTER COWLEY'S DRAWING. 

Among the rest of my productions was 
a large head of our bard, which I executed 
on vellum, in body colours, affixing his 
arms in one corner and his name and age 
in another. This performance, I know 
not why, was supposed to be from the hand 
of the facetious master Cowley, the player ; 
and was gravely stated to have formerly 
adorned the green-room of the Globe 
theatre, in all probability as a companion 
to the Shylock and Bassanio drawing which 
has been before mentioned. 



193 

BEN JONSON. 

As I had left a broad space beneath the 
painting, I conceived that I might turn it 
to account, and for that purpose wrote the 
following lines, as from the pen of Ben 
Jonson, whereto I affixed his name : but, 
as the composition did not exactly please 
me, I took care to efface the whole pre- 
vious to its delivery to Mr. Ireland ; leav- 
ing, however, the signature of Jonson 
legible, which I had copied from his hand- 
writing affixed to the first edition in folio of 
Shakspeare s plays, which I had purchased 
of White, in Fleet Street, for thirty guineas, 
at which high price it was sold because 
conceived to be (and I have no doubt that it 
really was) the presentation copy from the 
editors of Shakspeare's plays to Ben Jonson : 
in confirmation of which, some lines in La- 
tin had been written over the signature of 
Jonson, which the binder of an earlier 
period had cut through, but from the 
remains of w r hich the words ex dono, &c. y 
were obvious. 



194 



LINES AFFIXED TO THE DRAWING OF SIIAKSPEARE. 

Behold this face ; and, if thou read'st aright, 

His eyes should beam Apollo's radiant light : 

Deep penetration should his look impart, 

And Pity's touch, to thrill the feeling heart. 

Or wouldst thou Mars behold, thou still mayst find 

The rugged soldier's daring dauntless mind. 

Philosophy, religion, vice, and wit : 

Of passions here the mastery is writ. 

Envy in vain, with pois'nous Slander's breath, 

"Would on his temples blast the verdant wreath : 

For long as Pame shall sound th' applauding blast, 

So shall his blooming crest for ever last. 



SHAKSPERIAN LIBRARY. 

In order to augment the bulk of the 
Shaksperian papers, I had recourse to the 
introducing of volumes and tracts (to about 
the number of eighty), containing notes 
written in the disguised hand, while on the 
title-page of each appeared the signature 
of William Shakspeare ; by which I meant 
to infer that the books in question had 
originally been in the possession of our 
bard : of which volumes, the ensuing were 
the most conspicuous, as containing a 



195 

variety of annotations, presumed to be 
from the pen of our dramatist, relative to 
the authors of the works in question. 

churchyard's worthiness or wales. 

This tract was a small quarto, and, inde- 
pendent of the notes on its margin annex- 
ed by myse]f (that were thought to render 
it invaluable), was a very curious poem, 
printed in 1587 ; and being one of the first 
documents of this nature produced, was 
esteemed highly interesting by the in- 
spectors of the fabricated papers. 

carion's chronicles. 

This work, bearing date A. D. 1550, 
records, in poetry, the prominent features 
of all our monarchs' reigns to that period. 
— Upon the margin of this production I 
annexed several manuscript notes ; and, to 
the best of my recollection, was particular 
in affixing the same to those particular 
monarchs 5 reigns which have been dra- 
matised by our immortal poet. 

K 2 



196 

spenser's faerie qtjeene. 

Upon the margins of this poem, printed 
in two volumes quarto, bearing respec- 
tively the dates 1590 and 1596, 1 was most 
particular in my comments ; well aware 
that a writer of such celebrity as Spenser, 
must have attracted the notice of Shak- 
speare ; in addition to which, I was fully 
convinced that such notes would be re- 
garded with the strictest scrutiny by every 
visitant in Norfolk Street. — The subse- 
quent event fully established the justness 
of my supposition : and so much were the 
notes esteemed, and such was the value 
conceived to be thereby attached to the 
two volumes, that a gentleman (who shall 
be nameless), positively made an offer to 
Mr. Samuel Ireland of sixty pounds for 
this edition of Spenser's Fairy Queen, 
with the marginal notes so introduced by 
myself as the comments of William Shak- 
speare. 



197 



RELATION OF THE IMPRISONMENT AND EXECUTION 
OF THE TRAITORS. 

This tract, bearing date A. D. 1606, is 
comprised in about twenty pages octavo, 
and gives a circumstantial detail of the 
manner in which Guy Fawkes and his 
associates suffered the punishment awarded 
them for their diabolical attempt against 
their sovereign and his parliament. My 
annotations upon this little pamphlet were 
very diffuse. I particularly remember that 
on the margin of the page in which it is 
stated that Guy Fawkes was so emaciated 
as scarcely to be able to ascend the scaf- 
fold, I wrote a very feeling note, indica- 
tive of the philanthropy of Shakspeare ; 
who at the conclusion of the note was sup- 
posed to make the following remark. — 

SHAKSPERIAN REMARK ON THE EXECUTION OF 
THE TRAITORS. 

" Thatte hee" (William Shakspeare) " hadd beene 
intreatedd bye hys freynde John Hemynges to attende 
sayde executyonne, butte thatte he lykedde notte toe 
beholde syghtes of thatte kynde." 

k3 



198 

GUY PAWKES INSTEAD OF GUY JOHNSON. 

I believe on the margin containing the 
last quoted I wrote another note, purport- 
ing that Shakspeare remembered to have 
seen and conversed with "maisterre Guv 
Fawkes " at the Globe theatre ; and that 
from his manners he should not have taken 
him for such a man as he afterwards proved 
to be. Upon mentioning this circum- 
stance to Mr. James Caulfield, well known 
for his research into the history of this 
conspiracy, he convinced me that I had 
been guilty of a most flagrant error, by 
assuring me, that, if Shakspeare had really 
remembered him, it must have been by the 
name of Guy Johnson, as that of Fawkes 
was only an assumed name when he en- 
tered into the conspiracy. 

I need scarcely add that this fact was till 
then wholly unknown to me, as when I 
wrote the annotations in question I had no 
idea whatsoever but that the name of 
Fawkes was the real appellation of that 
celebrated traitor, whose sanguinary cha- 



199 

racter is still preserved to public detesta- 
tion on the fifth day of each succeeding 
November. 



RARITY OF THE TRACT RELATIVE TO THE CON- 
SPIRATORS. 

After this tract had been displayed to 
the inspectors of the papers, some of them, 
who were notorious as collectors of rare 
books, declared to Mr. Ireland that they 
had never before seen a copy of it. This 
declaration conferred additional value on 
the document in question : and many 
black-letter collectors visited Norfolk Street 
for the sole purpose of viewing the tract 
as a typographical rarity. 

DUPLICATE COPY OP THE TRACT. 

Notwithstanding the acknowledged cu- 
riosity of this pamphlet, it is not a little 
wonderful that within a month from my 
delivering to Mr. Samuel Ireland the copy 
illustrated with the marginal notes before 
described, a second happened by chance to 

k4 



200 

fall into my hands, bound up with several 
other miscellaneous pamphlets. To the 
title-page of this duplicate copy I annexed 
the name of Shakspeare with the follow- 
ing note : " Thys lyttle booke I ha hadde 
ownce befoure ; " evidently alluding to the 
former copy. 

Such are the facts relative to the two 
impressions of the rare tract explanatory 
of the imprisonment and execution of the 
gunpowder conspirators, which created so 
much astonishment in the mind of every 
collector of black-letter rarities. 

MESSRS. WHITE AND OTRIDGE, BOOKSELLERS. 

Ere I close the statement respecting the 
Shaksperian library, it will not be amiss to 
acquaint the world that to Messrs. White 
in Fleet Street, and Mr. Otridge in the 
Strand, I am indebted for many of the vo- 
lumes whereto I afterwards annexed the 
Shaksperian notes ; as it was from these 
gentlemen I made many large purchases. 
From numerous volumes of tracts procured 



201 

from them, I selected those particular pam- 
phlets whereto I penned the annotations. 
It was therefore utterly impossible for 
them to make any affidavit of the books 
having been recently in their libraries 
without the signatures so introduced by me 
on the margins. 

holingshed's chronicle. 

One of the books promised, and which 
I in vain endeavoured to procure with 
margins sufficiently broad to enable me to 
affix manuscript notes, was Holingshed's 
Chronicle, which our bard consulted on 
writing so many of his dramas. As it was 
supposed the observations in question 
would have been remarkably curious, I 
was no less importuned on account of this 
Chronicle than for the Shaksperian por- 
trait after mentioned, and the edition of 
his works in folio. 

WHOLE-LENGTH PORTRAIT OF SHAKSPEARE. 

One day being seated at Mr. Samuel 
Ireland's after dinner, during the exhilira- 
K 5 



202 

tion of the moment I was so bereft of my 
senses as to inform Mr. Ireland that a 
whole-length portrait, as large as life, and 
painted on board, would be forthcoming 
among the various other documents. I 
had soon sufficient cause to rue this effer- 
vescence of the moment ; for scarcely a 
day transpired but I was hourly impor- 
tuned respecting the whole-length portrait ; 
the production of which, it was stated, 
would infallibly stamp the validity of the 
manuscripts. 

FIRST EDITION OF SHAKSPEARE's WORKS IN 
EOLIO. 

Another very ridiculous assurance made 
by myself to Mr. Ireland, without a possi- 
bility of its realisation, was the promise of 
two copies in folio of Shakspeare's works 
with uncut leaves, for which I was equally 
tormented as for the whole-length portrait 
of our bard above alluded to. 

NELL RUMMIN. 

In a very scarce edition of the works of 
Skelton, poet-laureat in the reign of Henry 



203 

the Eighth, which was in my possession, 
were several miserable stanzas in com- 
memoration of a celebrated ale-wife of the 
name of Eleanor Rummin, whose filthy 
debaucheries are therein sufficiently dis- 
played. After the perusal of the stanzas 
I penned the following 



An thou wouldst know who lies this stone beneath, 

I'll tell thee, gentle friend : — 
'Tis England's ale-wife : who one day with Death, 
Forsooth, would made an end. 
Thou'lt ask, perhaps, of what ? — 
Of ale and ailings, 
Of jibes and railings, 
And ranting pleasures of the brim-full pot. 

Quoth old Nell Kummin to her bony guest, 

" In troth I have no ail." 
" Ailings thou hast," quoth he ; "and at my feast 
"Thy tun, I'm sure, wont fail 

" To give me "— " what ?" quoth Nell : 

"The ail of ailing, 
" Thy soul's bewailing ; 
" Tor earthly ale hath bought thee ail in hell," 

SIR THOMAS MORE 5 S JESTER. 

As the play upon words was much in 
vogue in the reign of Elizabeth, I wrote 



204 

the following lines upon Henry Patenson, 
who was the fool, or jester, of sir Thomas 
More, lord chancellor of England in the 
reign of Henry the Eighth ; which were of 
course intended to swell the bulk of the 
Shaksperian olio. 

LINES UPON HENRY PATENSON, SIR THOMAS 
more's JESTER. 

More wit thou hadst than wits by rule : 
Thou didst fool More, who was no fool. 
More jibes thou told'st to judging More 
Than fool ere told to judge before. 
More wit More heard from Folly base ; 
More forgot more the sage's face. 
Since more from Folly's cup More quafF'd, j 
Still more sage More at folly laugh' d. 
Now which had most the sage's head — 
"Wise More, or Hal, who more wit said ? 

EPIGRAM ON SIR THOMAS MORE. 

The following epigram is supposed to 
have been written by the great lord Bacon ; 
the fact being well recorded. — 

When More some time had chancellor been 

No more suits did remain. 
The same will never more be seen, 

Till More be there again. 



205 

EPITAPH ON WILLIAM MORE. 

In Stepney churchyard appears the 
ensuing epitaph on one William More. — 

Here lies More, and no more than he. — 
" More and no more ! — how can that be ?" 

BLOODY BISHOP BONNER. 

In Fox's Book of Martyrs is a wood-cut 
representation of bishop Bonner scourging 
a man with rods in his garden at Fulham. 
As I had early imbibed a peculiar hatred 
for the sanguinary character of that bigoted 
minister of a more bigoted queen, I wrote 
the following stanzas ; which, as they 
were intended to have been brought for- 
ward, I shall give in their spurious dress. 

O Bonnerr ! thyne was fylthy witte, 
So harde the breeche of mann to hytte, 

Norr blush att suche dysplaye : 
Butt thou alle blushynge hadst foreswore, 
Thatte menn myghte blush forr thee : therefoure, 

Thou took'st thys fylthy waye. 

Butte hadste thou beene as breechelesse too, 
Ande I the whipperr overr you, 
Bye Charon and his floode ! 



206 

Soe lustilye would I ha' hytte 
Thou shouldste have homage payde mye wytte, 
Bye blushynge redde withe bloode. 



ACROSTICS. 

As it was very common, in the reign of 
queen Elizabeth, to prefix to a work a 
complimentary acrostic on the author's 
name, written by some friend in com- 
mendation of his genius or talents, it was 
my intention to have produced a set 
of acrostics on various persons, and to 
have entitled the manuscript " A Crown 
Garlande daintilye besette withe costlye 
Gemmes." — The following are such as 
were already composed for that pur- 
pose. 

ACROSTIC UPON KING RICHARD THE SECOND. 

Ring a peal, whose doleful knell, 
Injur' d prince, thy woes shall tell! 
Come clear gem from Pity's eye : 
Human feeling vents the sigh ; 
Angels, weep for charity. 
Rueful chance that Death's dire frown 
Doom'd the monarch and his crown ! 



207 

ACROSTIC ON QUEEN ELIZABETH. 

England, thrice happy earth ! 

Let me my notes upraise :— 
I sing a maiden's birth — ■ 

Zealous to breathe her praise. 
All sage and blooming queen, 
Bounteous as Heav'n serene, 
Eliza, let me echo round 
Thy matchless worth with clarion sound : 
Heaven 's thy soil : thou 'rt goddess of this ground. 

ACROSTIC UPON THE UNFORTUNATE MARY QUEEN 
OF SCOTS. 

Morning's rose at eve will fade, 

And waste its perfume on the wind. 
Ruder than all is "Fate unkind — 

You, the sweet rose, by Death bewray'd. 

ACROSTIC UPON THE ACCOMPLISHED SIR PHILIP - 
SIDNEY, 

Who was unfortunately killed at the battle of Zutphen, in the 
Low Countries. 

Sweet was thy song, Arcadian swain, 

In valley, mountain, wood, and plain ! 

Darling of the Sisters Nine, 

Nature moulded thee divine : 
Each heav'nly radiance thus shone forth in one : 
Youth was perfection ; — and life's race was run. 



208 

ACROSTIC ON HENRY PRINCE OF WALES. 

The following lines were written to be 
placed under tlie portrait of Henry prince 
of Wales, the eldest son of king James the 
First, whose untimely death frustrated the 
darling hopes of the English nation, which 
beheld in this prince every glowing quali- 
fication that confers honour on the human 
mind. 

Here Wisdom, Honour, Grace serene ; — 

Ev'ry attribute combines : 

Noble prince, your valour shines 
Resplendent in your martial eyne ; 
Tour virtue's stamp' d upon your heav'nly mien. 

ACROSTIC ON DUDLEY EARL OF WARWICK. 

Warwick, fram'd to feats of arms, 

Ail thy val'rous acts I'd sing ; 

Rouse to war with clarion string — 
Warwick scorns Death's dire alarms. 

In fight, the lion ; peace, the dove ; 

Constant to Mars, and link'd to Love ; 

Kindred to heav'n and saints above. 



209 

ACROSTIC ON SIR ROBERT DUDLEY. 

This young nobleman was the illegiti- 
mate son of Robert Sutton de Dudley, earl 
of Leicester. He was created duke of 
Northumberland by the emperor, for his 
services in making Leghorn a town of 
free trade. See Dugdale's Baronage. 

Dudley, youth of Britain's isle, 

Unto Venus' boy allied : 
Dudley, crown'd with "Wisdom's smile, 

Long the God of Battles' pride : 
Ev'ry strain shall join with me ; 
You taught my muse her minstrelsy. 

ACROSTIC ON LORD SOUTHAMPTON. 

The following lines will be found to bear 
an allusion to the supposed donation pre- 
sented by that nobleman to our great dra- 
matic lord. 

Strains, noble friend, I waft to thee : 
O let me sing in numbers free : 
Ungrateful, if unmindful, I, 
Traitor to truth, should give the lie ; 
Honour forgetting, if forgot 
All which thy bounty made my lot ; 
Most Judas like, if in my breast 
Polluted Treach'ry built its nest ; 



210 

Turning to nought that praise which now, 

O peerless lord, I must allow, 

ZS or check what Truth bids me avow. 



ACROSTIC OX EARL RIVERS. 

This young nobleman was the brother 
of Elizabeth Widvile, the consort of king 
Edward the Fourth, and shortly after the 
demise of that monarch was beheaded 
Pomfret Castle, by order of Richard duke 
of Gloucester, together with lord Grey 
and air Thomas Vaughan. He was a great 
patroniser of literature ; and to him 
are indebted for some of the earliest pro- 
ductions of the first English printing-pr 
under the direction of William Caxton. 

Bivers from their sources flow, 

In the raging seas toe k 
Virtue meek receives the blow ; 

Envy nips the bud with frost : — 
Eivers, "Wisdom's choicest swain, 
Saw life, met death, to live again. 



211 



ACROSTIC ON SHAKSPEARE. 

To be placed under the portrait of our great dramatic lord. 
Softly gliding down the stream, 

Hear the dying swan divine, 
Avon's bard, Apollo's beam, 

Kindred of the muses nine. 
Shakspeare's face, by skill array' d, - 

Poorly shows the painter's art : 
Ev'ry touch should have display'd 

All that sweetness can impart. 
Rich in mind, in feeling true, 
E'en Envy dies at thought of you. 

ACROSTIC ON MAISTER WILLIAM-HENRY IRE- 
LAUNDE. 

The subject to which these lines bear 
reference will be fully explained by the 
subsequent statements in this work apper- 
taining to William Shakspeare and the 
supposed "maisterre William-Henrye Ire- 
launde, who savedde Shakspeare's lyfe 
fromme drownynge whenne onne Thames." 

In vain my muse the lyre essays : 
Ruder than Boreas is the sound. 
Ev'ry touch doth echo round 
Louder his worth whom I would praise. 

And how shall I my gratitude impart ? — 
No verse can paint my grateful lays ; 

Doom'd to be inmates of this swelling heart. 



212 

LINES ON BEAUTY. 

Beauty having been so very frequently 
pictured as a mere transitory object, I 
composed the ensuing stanzas ; intending 
to have introduced them, with the other 
manuscripts, as the effusions of our im- 
mortal poet. 

Beauty's like bubble on the water's brim ; 

Or like the gnat that round the flame doth skim ; 

Or as the ice that meets the sun's hot glow. 
It is a cheering ray 'mid April showers ; 
Or matin dews on summer's gaudy flowers ; 

Or like the bosom of the spotless snow. 

Beauty's like promis'd favour from the great ; 
Or like the pride and pomp of earthly state ; 

Or as a glowworm to the gazer's sight. 
It is as lark that sings in matin ray; 
Or as the bloom that's cheer'd in early May ; 

Or friendly gleam athwart the gloom of night. 

The bubble breaks — the gnat is scorch'd in fires — 
The sun melts ice — chill April's ray expires — 

The dew dissolves — the snow pure water yields — 
The great forget — in death all pomp is lost — 
The glowworm fades — the bloom is nipp'd by frost — 

The moon is scarf 'd — the lark descends i'the fields. 

Tea, with all these must beauty yield its prime. 
Cropp'd by the chilling hand of hoary Time. 



213 

THE GENTLEMAN'S MAGAZINE. 

It is worthy of remark, that two years 
after my discovery of the whole Shak- 
sperian fabrication to the world, having 
read the above lines to a friend, he stated 
that some stanzas upon the same subject, 
and ascribed to Shakspeare, were to be 
found in the Gentleman's Magazine ; and 
upon my making the request, he within a 
few days transcribed the poem in question; 
which, as a curious coincidence in senti- 
ment and expression, I insert. 

" beauty's value." 

Stated to have been printed from a corrected manuscript, and 
originally written by William Shakspeare. 

See Gen. Mag. for Oct. 1750. 

" Beauty is but a vain and fleeting good, 
" A shining gloss that fadeth suddenly, 

" A flow'r that dies when almost in the bud, 
" A brittle glass that breaketh presently : — 

" A fleeting good, a gloss, a glass, a flow'r, 

" Lost, faded, broken, dead, within an hour. 

" As goods when lost are wond'rous seldom found, 
" As faded gloss no rubbing can excite. 

" As flow'rs when dead are trampled on the ground, 
"As broken glass no cement can unite ; 

u So beauty blemish'd once is ever lost, 

" In spite of physic, painting, pains, and cost." 

• & 



214 

IMITATION OF HUDIBRAS. 

Upon being requested to give some 
lines in the Hudibrastic style, by the 
friend who favoured me with the tran- 
script of the above stanzas/ and who had 
ever evinced much research respecting 
the Shaksperian papers, I wrote the fol- 
lowing lines impromptu, with a lead pen- 
cil, on the cover of a letter. — 

AUEOEA. 

Aurora visits first the clown, 
In dirty dingy russet gown : 
Tor house-maids then she 'tires anew, 
In scarlet cloak and bonnet blue : 
For gentlefolk then paints and patches — 
No burnish'd gold her beauty matches. 
And thus bediz'n'd, straight she hies out, 
To see, forsooth, what folks are about ; 
Nor cares a farthing for her honour, 
But lets the rabble gaze upon her : 
Till, tir'd at length, she squeamish grows, 
And reddens to pull off her clothes : 
Then sneaks — a jade ! — although not wed, 
Into sir Neptune's large green bed : 
Romps, and with him plays at bo-peep, 
Until they both fall fast asleep. 



215 



NIGKT. 



In robes of chimney-sweeper dight, 

Comes that ill-natur'd vixen Night ; 

Who scowling looks, as though she'd poy'son 

The rays that linger 'bove horizon ; 

And finding Sol so loth to stir, 

Claps on him her extinguisher. 

4 

butler's parallel of shakspeare and 

JONSON. 

As the opinion of our great satirist, 
Butler, on the poetical talents of Shak- 
speare, must, it is conceived, be interest- 
ing to every friend of literature, and as 
his sentiments are not in all probability 
very generally known, the ensuing quota- 
tion is made, as appertaining to our bard. 
Although in some respect irrelevant to the 
subject-matter of this work, its contents 
will, it is hoped, plead in excuse for its 
present insertion. 

In Mr. Thyer s edition of Butler's Re- 
mains (vol. ii, p. 494), the satirical author 
of Hudibras has thus expressed himself 
with regard to the productions of Ben 
Jonson and Shakspeare : 

" Men of the quickest apprehensions and aptest ge- 



216 

: es to any tiling :bey undertake, do not il : :»ve 

the greatest masters in it : for there is more patience 

. phlegm required in those fchj : 
of perfection, than in : : mmonly found in the temper of 

:ve ready wite : that - c c n tire, and will not hold out; 
u the swifrestraeehorsewilln:: f t:: rm a long journey 
so well as a sturdy dull jade. Hence i: is that V 

;■ wanted much of that natural eas : : that 

Ovid had, did nevertheless, with hard labour and long 

:.y, arrive at a higher perfection, than the other, 
with all his dexterity of wit, but less indi :uld 

:_ to. The same we may observe of Jonson and 
for "_r that is able :; think long andju 

Q will be sure to find out better things than another 
man can hit upon suddenly, though of more quick and 
ready parts ; which is commonly but chance ; and the 
other, art and judgment." 

HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE PRINCE OF WALES. 

As Air. Ireland was given to understand 

that his roval highness was desire in- 

spocting the papers, from the variety of 
opinions which he had heard upon the 
manuscripts, and the natural sir the 

subject excited in every breast. Air. Ire- 
land made it known, through the medium 
fsome friends, that he would cheerfully 
attend upon any of the royal family with 
e papers for their inspection. In con- 



217 

sequence of tins, a day was appointed, 
and Mr. Samuel Ireland repaired in a 
coach to Carlton House, with all the do- 
cuments he possessed : but I was not made 
one of the party on that occasion. On 
his return, as I was of course very anxious 
to hear what had transpired, I requested a 
circumstantial detail of every occurrence 
attending his visit ; which was to the best 
of my recollection as follows. — 

Upon Mr. Ireland's entrance into the 
chamber, his royal highness, with that re- 
finement upon affability for which he is 
certainly unrivalled, arose to receive him ; 
and so completely divested himself of that 
dignity which from his situation he was so 
justly entitled to assume, as to render Mr. 
Ireland as unrestrained in his manners as 
if he had been in the company of his 
equals. In fine, Mr. Ireland's opinion of 
his royal highness, w r hich I very frequently 
afterwards heard him utter, w 7 as, that his 
affability and elegant ease were such as 
to enable a person to be perfectly unre- 
strained ; w r hile it was at the same time 

L 



218 

absolutely impossible for a well-bred man 
to presume, in the slightest degree, in 
consequence of that easy deportment 
which his royal highness adopted : but 
should a presumptuous freedom be ha- 
zarded, Mr. Ireland used frequently to 
assert, that the prince in such circum- 
stances could instantly have recourse to 
a dignified deportment which must awe 
the most daring effrontery. 

On the production of the manuscripts, 
his royal highness began to inspect them 
with the strictest scrutiny ; when, to Mr. Ire- 
land's infinite astonishment, he not only 
questioned him on every point with an 
acuteness which he had never before witness- 
ed from the learned who had inspected the 
papers, but he also displayed a knowledge 
of antiquity, and an intimate acquaintance 
with documents of the period of Elizabeth, 
which Mr. Ireland had conceived was con- 
fined to such individuals only as had made 
that particular subject the object of their 
study. 

Having carefully examined the manu- 



219 

scripts, and heard the language contained 
in the profession of faith and some other 
documents, which were read aloud by Mr. 
Ireland, his royal highness spoke to the 
following effect. 



OPINION OP HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE PRINCE 
OF WALES. 

"As far as the external appearance will 
witness for the validity of the documents, 
they certainly bear a strong semblance 
of age : to decide, however, peremptorily 
from this cursory inspection, would be un- 
justifiable; as in matters of this nature so 
much is to be said pro and con, that the de- 
cision requires mature reflexion. I cer- 
tainly, Mr. Ireland, must compliment you 
much upon the discovery ; as the name of 
Shakspeare, and every thing appertaining 
to him, is not confined alone to the literary 
world, but to the English nation ; to which 
the publication will, I trust, afford that 
gratification which is expected to be de- 
rived from it." 

l2 



220 



MR. IRELAND S DEPARTURE FROM CARLTON 
HOUSE. 

While Mr. Ireland was arranging the 
manuscripts in order to their being taken 
back to the carriage, the prince continued 
to deliver his remarks on the papers he 
had inspected : and wheresoever the small- 
est ground of objection was apparent to 
his mind, he requested from Mr. Ire- 
land an answer to his query, which was 
always put with ease, although a depth of 
penetration was apparent in the question ; 
to which, from its novelty, Mr. Ireland 
very frequently found it difficult to make 
an apt reply. 

Upon Mr. Ireland's quitting the prince's 
presence, his royal highness continued to 
display that urbanity which had characte- 
rised his conduct upon his first introduc- 
tion into the chamber. 

Such proved the visit of Mr. Ireland to 
Carlton House, as frequently detailed by 
himself. 

The subject in question gave rise to the 



221 

following lines, which had their origin in 
Mr. Ireland's frequent encomiums on the 
prince, in which he was invariably joined 
by every friend who visited in Norfolk 
Street. 

LINES ADDRESSED TO HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS 
THE PRINCE OF WALES. 

'Tis not the title, or the prince's state, 

That can from subjects true attention draw ; 

Pow'r may command applause from rankling hate, 
And stiff-neck'd pomp inspire with frigid awe. 

How cold the homage by such art inspired ! 

How lukewarm the affection which it brings ! 
True loyalty with ardent zeal is fir'd ; 

And such alone should grace the thrones of kings : 

Behold the prince, whom England's sons revere ; 

Whose winning manners ev'ry breast subdue ; 
Who reigns in hearts through love, devoid of fear ; 

Proclaiming thus their homage staunch a#d true. 

Long may the Minstrel tune his silv'ry chord, 
And swell with clarion note the passing gales ; 

Long may the bards pay tribute to their lord, 
And waft due praises to their prince of Wales. 

No secret joys in gloomy pomp he finds : 

Mild ev'ry act ; while graceful ease and state 

Plant love and due respect in humbler minds, 
And curb the pride of the assuming great. 

l3 



222 

Long may the prince of Albion live to share 
The heart-felt plaudits of th' admiring throng ! 

May blooming glory nip each bud of care, 
And Britain's empire join the welcome song ! 

HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE DUKE OF CLARENCE. 

In consequence of the general astonish- 
ment and curiosity excited by the manu- 
scripts, his royal highness the duke of 
Clarence also became desirous of inspect- 
ing the papers : which being intimated to 
Mr. Ireland, a time was fixed upon ; when 
I was made of the party, and with Mr. 
Samuel Ireland repaired to the apart- 
ments occupied by his royal highness in 
St. James's palace. 

Having carefully inspected all the docu- 
ments produced, the usual questions were 
put to me respecting the original discovery 
of the manuscripts, in which Mrs. J*rd*n 
also joined ; when my former statements 
were, as usual, strictly adhered to. His 
royal highness, I perfectly well remember, 
made numerous objections, and particu- 
larly to the redundancy of letters apparent 
throughout the papers. To every question, 



223 

however, the same answers were made as 
usual : and thus the doubts which arose in 
his royal highnesses mind were obviated by 
Mr. Ireland. 

A JUST TRIBUTE OF PRAISE TO MRS. J*RD*N. 

As the agreement for the Vortigern and 
Rowena was then on the point of being 
signed between Mr. Samuel Ireland, as 
my guardian, and the manager of Drury 
Lane theatre, much conversation took 
place upon that subject ; in the course of 
which his royal highness was so kind as to 
give Mr. Samuel Ireland many cautious 
hints. — Respecting the language of the 
piece, as well as the plot and characters, 
numerous inquiries were made by Mrs. 
J*rd*n, as well as the duke of Clarence : 
and I think it but justice in this place to 
offer my sincere thanks to that lady for 
her kind endeavours on a subsequent 
occasion, when she had to sustain one of 
the principal characters in the drama. — 
I also beg leave to state that I shall be ever 
mindful of her particular kindness and 
L 4 



224 

affability during the visit made to his 
royal highness ; as also for her compla- 
cency and condescension during my long 
continuance in the green-room of Drury 
Lane theatre on the night of the repre- 
sentation of my play, when not only her 
transcendent abilities as an actress were 
exerted in my behalf before the curtain, 
but reanimating expressions, whilst in the 
green-room, continually flowed from her 
lips, in order to rouse me from the mental 
depression under which I so obviously 
laboured on that momentous occasion. 

SEARCHES AFTER THE SUPPOSED GENTLEMAN. 

As it was supposed, in consequence of 
my statements before mentioned, that 
some unknown gentleman was the original 
donor of the papers, the inquiries that 
were set on foot in order to his discovery 
were incalculable : neither was I forgotten 
in my walks ; for as it was supposed that I 
must have constant meetings with him, it 
was imagined, that, by tracing my steps, 
the residence of my mysterious friend 



225 

must be discovered : which would have 
undoubtedly proved the case, had there 
been any such being in existence : but the 
whole concentrating in myself, and it 
bfeing conjectured, on account of my 
youth, that I never could be the fabricator, 
little notice was taken of me when at 
chambers, where the whole was executed. 
If, on the contrary, such steps had been 
taken, I must have been discovered ; as by 
picking the lock of a window-seat the 
whole of my apparatus would have been 
displayed to view. I must here state, that 
towards the termination of the business, 
when doubts ran very high respecting the 
authenticity of the manuscripts, I destroy- 
ed an infinite number of unfinished papers 
then in my possession, that no document 
might appear in evidence against me. 

MR. C*L*Y. 

This gentleman, who is well known as an 
excellent judge of ancient manuscripts, 
and who is perfectly well enabled to deci- 
pher with ease the most abbreviated docu- 
L 5 



226 

ments, the productions of centuries back, 
was a frequent inspector of my manu- 
scripts ; and although he in many instances 
raised objections to the papers, he never- 
theless did upon the whole conceive them 
the productions of the period to which I 
ascribed them. Before stating thus much 
however, I should have premised that Mr. 
C*l*y inspected them merely as a judge of 
the paper, parchment, and general appear- 
ance of ancient documents, without any 
regard to the language or particular 
history of the stage during the period of 
William Shakspeare. 

THE LATE MR. RITSON. 

Of the numerous individuals who came 
to inspect the manuscripts, no one excited 
my fear so much as the above gentleman, 
whose keen penetration is by no means 
unknown to the sapient Mr. Malone, on 
whose abilities as a commentator he has 
so fully expatiated as to render him con- 
temptible where he conceives himself de- 
serving of universal panegyric. 



The sharp physiognomy, the piercing' 
eye, and the silent scrutiny, of Mr. Ritson, 
filled me with a dread I had never before 
experienced. His questionings were laco- 
nic, but always to the purpose. No stu- 
died flow of words could draw him from his 
purpose : he was not to be hoodwinked : 
and after satisfying his curiosity, he de- 
parted from Mr. Samuel Ireland's house, 
without delivering any opinion, or com- 
mitting himself in the smallest circum- 
stance. In fine, I do as firmly believe that 
Mr. Ritson went away fully assured that 
the papers were spurious, as that I have 
existence at this moment. 

THE LATE MR. GEORGE STEEVENS. 

This gentleman, whose memory will be 
handed down to posterity as long as com- 
mentaries on Shakspeare exist, followed his 
usual mode of conduct with respect to the 
fabricated munuscripts : he did not boldly 
enter the lists ; but, like a mole, worked in 
secret ; and, when occasion served, stung 
with the subtlety of a viper. — Whether this 



228 

gentleman lent his friendly aid to Mr. Ma- 
lone, in the course of his Inquiry, I will 
not pretend to say, though I rather con- 
ceive, that upon that occasion, the rival 
commentators, like the two kings of Brent- 
ford, "smelt at one nosegay," and buried 
their private feelings in the general attempt 
to crush that which would have proved so 
many of their labours of none effect had 
it passed current with the world. 

MY RIGHT TO THE PAPERS DISPUTED. 

When the multiplicity of the papers be- 
came an object of wonder, it was stated, 
by some of the visitants at Mr. Samuel 
Ireland's house, that, if a descendant of 
Shakspeare could be found, he might lay 
claim to all the papers which I had pro- 
duced. — Astonished at this information, I 
began to think of some method which 
might obviate any such step being put 
into effect, even should a claimant appear ; 
as I conceived it would be hard indeed 
that my own productions should go into 
the hands of an utter stranger. After 



229 

many thoughts upon this subject, I had 
recourse to the following expedient. 

PRELUDE TO THE CLAIMING WHAT WAS MY OWN. 

Shortly after the above statement, I pro- 
duced some documents tending to prove 
that Shakspeare had been very closely 
connected with a person of the name of 
Ireland ; and so very unguarded was I 
upon this occasion, as to make the Chris- 
tian names of the supposed Ireland similar 
to my own, being William -Henry. These 
papers tended to prove that our bard la- 
boured under some weighty obligation to 
my namesake ; whilst others were penned 
in the most familiar style. And by these 
means I began to pave the way to my 
rightful claim to my own productions. 

CHRISTIAN NAMES WILLIAM-HENRY. 

In addition to the folly of my having 
affixed precisely my own Christian names 
to the sirname of the Ireland supposed to 
have been so intimately connected with 
our bard, it afterwards appeared that the 



230 

assumption of two Christian names was 
scarcely ever used in the days of Shak- 
speare, and that only in cases of persons 
of the very first rank. Being on this oc- 
casion, as on many others, wholly unac- 
quainted with the necessary facts, I had un- 
thinkingly rushed into an error at which 
Mr. Malone has levelled his envenomed 
shaft with his usual rancour. 



DELINEATION OF THE ARMS OF SHAKSPEARE AND 
IRELAND. 

On one of the documents relative to 
Shakspeare and Ireland I inserted a rude 
pen-and-ink drawing of the armorial bear- 
ings of our bard and those of the Ireland 
family, which I joined together with a 
chain, inserting these words in the centre : 

Keverre toe parte 
butte inne deathe. 

Which trivial circumstance gave rise to 
the attempt at an heraldic achievement 
which will be found, with the other curiosa, 
in the engraved sheet prefixed to this work. 



231 

JUNCTION OF THE ARMS OF SHAKSPEARE AND 
IRELAND. 

As sir Is**c H**rd and Mr. T*wns*nd 
were frequent visitants in Norfolk Street, 
they suggested to Mr. Samuel Ireland, on 
account of the apparent connexion be- 
tween the families of Shakspeare and Ire- 
land, that a junction of the two coats-of- 
arms should take place ; and that Mr. S. 
Ireland ought to couple on his own 
shield the bearings of Shakspeare. To 
give an adequate idea of my feelings on 
this occasion, is utterly impossible. I 
shall therefore content myself with the in- 
sertion of the succeeding lines, which were 
committed to paper on that momentous 
occasion. 

HASTY EFFUSION UPON AN HERALDIC SUBJECT. 

Sir Is* # c ran, but where the Lord knows, 
Pulling up his black plush small-clothes : 
And T # wns*nd, knight of herald school, 
In argent vers'd, and or, and gule ; 
Who could the pedigrees unravel 
Of chieftains at the Tower of Babel ; 



■ 232 

And tell by whom, and where, and why 
His lordship sprang from bastardy ; 
Or if Bill Shakspeare us'd to stray 
Prom gentle dame Anne Hathaway ; 
Or souse in Thames, but not like witches, 
Be drown'd — for he was caught by breeches ; 
By which hard griping of the hand 
Our bard was sav'd by this Ireland, 
Which joins the spear and flower de luces 
And saves from fraud and vile abuses, 
Those relics, which by this appear, 
To 'long to Ireland, not Shakspeare. 

GUANT OF AKMS TO IRELAND. 

Having heard it asserted that the arms 
of the Ireland family, which consist of six 
jleurs de lis, upon a ground gules, were 
gained at the ever-memorable battle of 
Agincourt, I wished if possible to execute 
the original grant, and for that purpose 
called on Mr. Thane ; to whom I men- 
tioned a supposition that such a document 
was in existence, with the signature of 
Henry the Fifth. Upon hearing which, 
Mr. Thane said that such a document 
would be a matter of great curiosity, as 
no signature of that monarch had been 
discovered. I made several attempts to 



233 

compass this point, but found the execu- 
tion too arduous : and fearing also that it 
might be discovered if not properly ma- 
naged, I abandoned the idea; fully aware 
that the disclosure of one fabrication, at 
that stage of the business, must have in- 
fallibly overthrown the Shaksperian mass 
already produced. 

DEED OE GIFT TO WILLIAM-HENRY IRELAND. 

A bold document, executed by myself 
to substantiate my claim to my own pro- 
ductions, w 7 as a supposed deed of gift from 
Shakspeare to maister William-Henry Ire- 
land ; part of the contents of which are 
alluded to in the poetic lines last given. 
In this instrument, which was engrossed on 
parchment, and regularly sealed, like the 
foregoing law documents, I accounted for 
the friendship that subsisted between our 
bard and Ireland, by stating that Shak- 
speare's life had been saved by the exer- 
tions of my ancestor, when, being in a boat 
upon the river Thames, through the in- 
toxication of the watermen, the bark was 



234 

unfortunately upset. For this service the be- 
quests contained in the deed were sup- 
posed to have been made. But that the 
public may be better enabled to form a 
judgement upon the subject, I shall give 
the following statement, taken literally 
from the spurious document in question. 

QUOTATION FROM THE DEED OF GIFT. 

" Whereas onne or abowte the thyrde daye of the 
laste monethe beyng the monethe of August e havynge 
withe mye goodefreynde masterre William Henrye Ire- 
lande ande otherres taen boate neare untowe myne 
howse afowersayde wee didde purpose goyDge upp 
Thames butte those thatte were soe to conducte us 
beying muche toe merrye throughe lyquorre theye did 
upsette oure fowersayde bayrge all butte myeselfe 
savedd themselves bye swimmyng for though the 
waterre was deepe yette owre beynge close uygh toe 
shore made itte lyttel dyffyculte for them knowinge 
the fowersayde arte masterre William Henrye Ire- 
lande notte seeynge mee dydd aske for mee butte 
owne of the companye dydd answerre thatte I was 
drownynge onn the whyche hee pulledd off hys jerre- 
kynne and jumpedd inn affcerre mee withe much 
paynes he draggedd mee forthe I beynge then nearlye 
deade and soe he dydd save mye life and for the 
whyche J doe herebye give hym as folo withe " 8fc. 



235 

MY OWN MANUSCRIPTS PROVED TO BE MY OWN 
RIGHT. 

In addition to the deed of gift, I ventured 
to make the following assertion, which I 
conceived would infallibly preclude an 
attempt to deprive me of my own pro- 
ductions by transferring them to any 
descendant of Shakspeare who might be 
disposed to urge a claim. 

I informed Mr. Samuel Ireland, that, on 
research being made among the family 
papers of the unknown Mr. H, he had 
discovered documents tending to prove 
that I was the direct descendant of the 
William-Henry Ireland to whom the be- 
quest was made in the deed of gift ; and 
that consequently he no longer regarded 
my possession of the manuscripts as a fa- 
vour, but looked upon them as my own 
right by descent. 

This was not, however, the last law docu- 
ment which I deemed necessary; and in con- 
sequence produced the law instrument which 
will occupy the following head, and which 
was fabricated very shortly after the deed of 



236 

gift, in order to account for a very material 
objection constantly raised in opposition 
to the validity of the manuscripts. 

DEED OF TRUST TO JOHN HEMINGES. 

Notwithstanding Mr. Malone has so 
amply expatiated on the various bequests 
contained in this fabricated document, he 
has nevertheless totally mistaken the real 
purport for which the instrument was 
composed, and which I shall now proceed 
to declare. 

As I had, with Mr. Talbot, adopted the 
letter H as the initial of my friend's sir- 
name, it was instantly conjectured that his 
name must be Ueminges, and that he was 
the representative of the person bearing 
that name who was so closely connected 
with our bard. Yet it still remained un- 
ceasingly a matter of astonishment that this 
gentleman should desire so scrupulously to 
conceal his name, and not avow himself to 
be the original possessor of the papers. At 
once to still surmises on this score, was the 
law document now under consideration 



237 

produced ; for the' inference which I looked 
would be drawn from it was, that the an- 
cestors of my friend (now concluded to be 
a Ueminges) had not discharged the be- 
quests made in this deed ; and that, in con- 
sequence, my friend was averse from cast- 
ing an odium on them, and of affixing an 
implied stigma on himself, by a disclosure 
of his name and connexions. 

Besides these conclusions, which tended 
to account satisfactorily for the rigid si- 
lence of the supposed original proprietor 
of the manuscripts, it was also conjectured, 
that to the care of the same Heminges 
the deed of gift to Ireland had been 
entrusted ; the clauses of which he had 
been equally dilatory in fulfilling : so 
that the property originally left to the 
Ireland of the time of Shakspeare, having 
remained in the family of the Heminges 
for so long a period, was at length thus 
providentially restored to the lineal de- 
scendant of him who had saved our poet's 
life, by the existing representative of his 
supposed nefarious ancestor. 



233 

GATHERING OF A STORM. 

I shall now pass over a considerable pe- 
riod of time, during which my mind was 
unceasingly harassed by the constant re- 
proaches of Mr. Ireland (who was then re- 
garded in the light of the fabricator of the 
papers), and the importunate interrogato- 
ries of his friends ; who stated, that it was 
a duty incumbent on me to give up the 
name of any unknown friend, in order to 
clear my fathers character from the odium 
which was so unjustly heaped upon it. 
Having no name to bring forward, I of 
course evaded these reiterated entreaties 
by a statement of the grounds upon which 
the papers had originally fallen into my 
hands, and the manner in which Mr. Sa- 
muel Ireland had embarked in the publi- 
cation of them. This, however, was not 
sufficient : the clamour increased daily ; 
and a committee of several gentlemen was 
called to investigate the matter, and hear 
my answers, publicly delivered, to every 
interrogatory that might be put. 



239 

Mr. Talbot, who had also forwarded the 
letter before mentioned to Mr. Ireland, 
joining in my account of the discovery of 
the manuscripts (as agreed between us), 
was at this period written to by Mr. Ire- 
land in a peremptory manner, in order to 
his forwarding from Dublin the correct 
statement of every circumstance, together 
with the supposed concealed gentleman's 
name, place of abode, &c. To such ap- 
plications, however, Mr. Talbot continued 
silent, leaving every thing to myself (hav- 
ing been sufficiently harassed by the part 
he had formerly taken), in order as he 
conceived to befriend me, without having 
any other motive whatsoever in view. 

THE COMMITTEE. 

At this first meeting of the gentlemen 
appointed to canvass the whole production 
of the Shaksperian mass, I was of course 
present ; when a regular series of questions 
were put to me ; to each of which I re- 
plied by adhering to the story first deli- 
vered to the public. It was then demanded 



240 

of me whether I would make oath, " that, 
to the best of my knowledge and belief 
(from every circumstance I knew respect- 
ing the discovery of the papers), they were 
genuine manuscripts from the pen of Shak- 
speare." 

To this interrogatory I made the follow- 
ing reply :— 

" It is stated that the present committee 
is appointed to investigate Mr. Samuel Ire- 
land's concern in the business, and ease 
him from the calumnies which are heaped 
upon his head ; I therefore will make oath 
that he received the papers from me as 
Shakspeare's, and knows nothing whatso- 
ever concerning their origin, or the source 
from whence they came/' 

Such was the purport of the business 
transacted during the first meeting. 

SECOND MEETING OF THE COMMITTEE. 

At this second investigation I was also 
present ; when Mr. Montague Talbot's let- 
ter to Mr. Ireland, giving the detail of the 
discovery of the papers at Mr. H's, was 



241 

read aloud, as well as the copies of such 
communications as had been made to Mr. 
Talbot in Dublin, by Mr. Ifeland, since 
his receipt of the above, of which Mr. Ire- 
land had kept copies. 

Mr. Talbot's silence having been much 
reprobated by the gentlemen present, re- 
course was again had to me; when nume- 
rous propositions were made and interro- 
gatories put ; to all of which I replied as 
usual ; stating, that my solemn oath com- 
pelled me never to reveal the name of the 
donor of the manuscripts, unless I had his 
previous permission to cancel the obliga- 
tion by which I had so bound myself. 



THE LATE GOVERNOR FR*NKL*N. 

This gentleman was one of the persons 
appointed to attend these committees. 
Having heard me so peremptorily insist 
on the obligation of an oath, he arose from 
his seat, and, taking a Bible from his 
pocket, proceeded to quote several pas- 
sages from Holy Writ, in order to prove 

M 



242 

that no son being under age was called 
upon to adhere to an oath, when the cha- 
racter of his parent was implicated by his 
so doing. I cannot now call to mind the 
particular verses read aloud by the above 
gentleman on that occasion ; but I well re- 
member that the generality of his auditors 
regarded his conduct rather as the impulse 
of passion, than the offspring of cool reason 
and common sense. 



LIST OF NAMES MADE OUT FOR THE SUPPOSED 
UNKNOWN GENTLEMAN. 

It was, I believe, at the second meeting 
of the committee above mentioned that it 
was proposed to me to deliver into the 
hands of my supposed unknown friend a 
list of the names of several gentlemen, in 
order that he might, if he should think 
fit, select two persons to whom he would 
confide every fact respecting himself and 
the manuscripts. To this proposition I as- 
sented ; when several names were com- 
mitted to paper, and delivered into my 



243 

hands, in order to be given to the un- 
known Mr. H ; a future day being then 
appointed for receiving his answer. 

This proposition was made under the 
following presumption ; that, although the 
supposed unknown gentleman might not 
be prevailed upon, by the two persons who 
should attend him, to make himself pub- 
licly known ; yet that they, being indivi- 
duals of respectability and fortune, might, 
upon ascertaining the facts, declare their 
opinions solemnly to the world, according 
to the statement that should be laid before 
them, and the proofs adduced ; which 
would not only establish or invalidate the 
papers, but also free Mr. Ireland from any 
invidious remark which the world might 
otherwise be disposed to make on his con- 
nexion with the fabricator of the manu- 
scripts. 

SELECTION OF THE TWO GENTLEMEN. 

As my mind was at this period a prey 
to the most agonising disquietudes, I de- 
bated within myself whether it would not 
M 2 



244 

be preferable to reveal the whole transac- 
tion to such two gentlemen as I chose to 
select, and to consult with them as to the 
line of conduct it was most incumbent 
upon me to pursue, rather than longer 
remain in that state of dreadful anxiety, 
which rendered my existence burdensome 
to me. Having at length made up my 
mind to brave the worst, I affixed a mark 
opposite those gentlemens' names from 
whom I had the least cause to expect 
harsh conduct on making my confession ; 
and, on the day appointed, I delivered h 
the list to the committee, with the two 
names so selected by myself; at which all 
the gentlemen appeared perfectly well sa- 
tisfied : and a fourth day was in conse- 
quence named — it being agreed, that, du- 
ring the intervening period, the persons so 
selected by me should be applied to, in 
order to know whether or not they were 
willing to become depositories of the great 
secret. — It is here requisite to mention, 
that the names of the gentlemen so chosen 
have now altogether escaped my memory. 



245 

APPOINTMENT OF MR. WALLIS TO BECOME THE 
DEPOSITORY OF MY SECRET. 

On the appointed day the committee 
again assembled ; when it was declared 
the gentlemen whom I had chosen had 
declined the honour intended them, and 
refused to interfere in the business. A 
long altercation ensued ; after which I 
informed the company, that, if Mr. Al- 
bany Wallis (who was then present) would 
take upon himself the charge of the secret, 
I did not doubt that I could prevail upon 
my friend to confide the whole matter to 
him. Mr. Wallis having acceded to this 
proposal, I acquainted the committee that 
I should take the earliest opportunity of 
persuading my friend to comply with my 
wishes ; after which I would communicate 
to Mr. Albany Wallis the day and hour 
when he might expect Mr. H to make the 
discovery so long and ardently called for 
by the public. 



M 3 



246 

CONFESSION MADE TO MR. WALLIS. 

Having summoned sufficient resolution, 
I repaired to Mr. Albany Wallis on the se- 
cond day after the above meeting of the 
committee, when I explicitly detailed to 
that gentleman every circumstance attend- 
ing my fabrication of the Shaksperian ma- 
nuscripts. Mr. Wallis was infinitely asto- 
nished at the discovery, and immediately 
proceeded to inquire my reasons for em- 
barking in the variety of papers produced ; 
when I committed to paper, in the dis- 
guised hand, my explicit reply to all his 
interrogatories, with which he was fully 
satisfied. 

At a subsequent meeting I delivered 
into Mr. Wallis's hands the remains of my 
ink used in the fabrication, as also the 
plans of several plays, with various other 
documents, as collateral proofs of the ve- 
racity of my confession. 



247 

ADVICE OF MR. WALLIS, AND HIS DETERMINA- 
TION. 

On consulting Mr. Wallis as to the steps 
most expedient for me to adopt, he re- 
quested me to continue silent as usual ; and 
that, with respect to himself, he should 
evade any questionings which might be 
put to him upon the subject, by stating 
that it was his opinion, as a professional 
man, that the supposed gentleman was not 
exactly safe in committing his name to the 
public ; and with regard to inquiries made 
respecting the validity of the papers, Mr. 
Wallis determined on maintaining the 
most rigid silence. 

RENEWAL OF PERSECUTION. 

As Mr. Malone and his inveterate pha- 
lanx still continued their invidious asper- 
sions against the character of Mr. Samuel 
Ireland, who was unceasingly paragraphed 
in the morning prints, &c. ; and as my 
communication of every circumstance to 
Mr. Wallis did not tend to elucidate the 
mystery, notwithstanding Mr. Samuel Ire- 

M 4 



248 

land's frequent applications to that gentle- 
man, Mr. Ireland again recurred to me ; 
and I was, as before, subject to the un- 
ceasing and bitter reproof of himself and 
friends for still subjecting him to the ill- 
natured suggestions of the world. All my 
arguments in opposition to these reiterated 
complainings were vain ; and about this 
period Mr. Samuel Ireland quitted London, 
in order to experience a degree of tran- 
quillity with some old friends who had 
given him an invitation into Berkshire. 

PAINFUL RETROSPECTION. 

A short time after Mr. Samuel Ireland's 
departure from London I received the 
following letter, the contents of which 
struck deep into my soul ; and I from that 
period more bitterly cursed the fatal mo- 
ment which involved me in a business 
fraught with misery to myself, and which 
had caused an incalculable degree of un- 
happiness to that being whom I had fondly 
hoped to gratify by the production of the 
manuscripts. 



249 



MR. S. IRELAND S LETTER. 

" It is now more than a week, my dear Sam, since I 
left London ; and not a word or a line from you ! — In 
tlie situation, unsettled as you are, you cannot suppose 
but that my mind is much agitated, both on your ac- 
count and that of the family. 

" I expected, according to your promise, that you 
would certainly have written to me, and have pointed 
out what was your plan : and not only so, but your in- 
tentions with regard to the papers. I do assure you 
my state is truly wretched on both accounts. I have 
no rest, either night or day ; which might be much al- 
leviated by a more open and candid conduct on your 
side. Surely, if there is a person for whom you can 
for a moment feel, it must be for a parent who has 
never ceased to render you every comfort and attention, 
from your earliest moment of existence to the present. 

"I think you must sometimes reflect, and place 
yourself in imagination as at a future period of life, — 
having a son and being in such a predicament as I 
stand at present ; and then judging what must be your 
state of mind, and what must be mine at present. 

" I do not mean reproaches by this letter, but to as- 
sure you, that, if you cannot think me your friend, I 
fear you will be deceived in all friendships you may in 
future form. I do not recollect that any conduct of 
mine towards you has been other than that of a friend 
and companion — not that of a rigid or morose parent. 
It is therefore doubly unnatural that I should be forced 
to apply for information through any channel whatso- 
ever, when I ought to hear it voluntarily from yourself. 
M 5 



250 

" Tou seem to be estranging yourself, not only from 
me, but from all your family and all my acquaintances. 
Eeflect well what you do, and what determinations you 
make ; for this is the moment that may in all probabi- 
lity render you comfortable in your future establish- 
ment and future situation, or make you an alien to hap- 
piness for ever. 

" I have heard of my situation with the world, as to 
the papers at Beading, from many gentlemen there ; 
who all agree that my state is truly a pitiable one : and 
all seem to dread the event. I know not the nature of 
your oaths and engagements, nor does the world; but it 
is universally allowed, that no obligation should lead a 
parent into ruin. 

" If the papers are to be established as genuine, why 
delay to furnish me with the documents so lately 'pro- 
mised? -But I will say no more on the subject at 

present. 

" By a paragraph in the Sun of Thursday last, it 
should appear, that, though I am not in the secret, some 
persons are. The paragraph runs thus : 

" ' We are at length enabled to form a decisive 
opinion with regard to the manuscripts in the possession 
of Mr. Ireland, though motives of delicacy at present 
prevent us from rendering that opinion public!' 

" Pray give me a line by to-morrow's post, as I am 
impatient to hear from you : and believe me your very 
sincere friend and affectionate father, 

"SASIUEL IBELAND." 

" June 5th : Sunday." 



251 

WHY FAMILIARLY CALLED SAM BY MR. IRELAND. 

As in the above letter Mr. Ireland ad- 
dresses me by the name of Sam, in order 
that no fresh mysteries may arise in the 
public mind, after my having stated that 
my names are William-Henry, I think it 
requisite to inform my readers that I had 
an elder brother baptized Samuel, after 
Mr. Ireland ; who dying when young, the 
names William Henry, by which I was 
christened, were never adopted by Mr. 
Ireland, who rather chose to call me after 
his own name, I being then his only re- 
maining male offspring. 

DOCUMENTS INTENDED TO HAVE BEEN PRO- 
DUCED. 

The papers required by Mr. Ireland, 
and upon the promise of which he lays a 
stress in his letter, were numerous other 
documents, of which I had given in a list 
as existing among the supposed manu- 
scripts, and which it was my full intention 
to have fabricated, in order to throw a 



252 

greater degree of validity on the mass al- 
ready produced, had not the overthrow of 
the whole business ensued, and frustrated 
any further attempts. 

PRECIPITATE RESOLUTION. 

The painful train of reflexions w 7 hich 
occupied my thoughts in consequence of 
the letter just quoted, and the anxiety 
which pervaded Mr. Samuel Ireland's 
mind, led me to have recourse to an ex- 
pedient which the momentary pressure 
could alone have warranted. Finding 
that no step could satisfy Mr. Ireland's 
anxiety but the disclosure of the whole 
fact to himself, and fearful of confiding the 
same to his ear, I resolutely determined 
on quitting his mansion for ever, as my 
life was an absolute burden to me under 
existing circumstances ; in addition to 
which, the very method required by Mr. 
Ireland to quiet his doubts (which w r as my 
publication of every fact relating to the 
manuscripts, as above stated) was, to make 



253 

use of a trite adage, a remedy worse than 
the disease. 

DEPARTURE FROM NORFOLK STREET. 

Having worked up my mind to the 
adoption of the above plan, I made a 
hasty package of such articles as I could 
conveniently place within a carriage ; 
when, seizing the opportunity of all the 
family's being from home, I dispatched 
one of the servants for a hackney coach, 
and bade adieu to that residence which 
a series of events, originating in no evil 
intention whatsoever, had for many months 
rendered painful to me. 

mr. Ireland's return from Berkshire. 

Shortly after my precipitate retreat, Mr. 
Samuel Ireland returned to town, being 
infinitely astonished at the news of my de- 
parture from Norfolk Street. He imme- 
diately repaired to Mr. Albany Wallis, 
with whom I had had frequent interviews ; 
but that gentleman, conformably to my re- 



254 

quest, concealed the place of my abode, 
and also preserved the most inviolable 
secresy as to eveiy thing which bore the 
least relation to my confession respecting 
the manuscripts. — Upon one of Mr. Sa- 
muel Ireland's attendances on that gentle- 
man, the following message was left for me 
in writing ; it having been previously de- 
termined that an affidavit should be drawn 
up, and sworn to, in order to exculpate 
Mr. Ireland from having had any concern 
whatsoever in fabricating the papers ; 
which was the rumour after they were ge- 
nerally deemed fabrications by the world, 
although the precise fact had not at that 
period met the public view ; being con- 
fined to Mr. AYallis, as before stated. 

MESSAGE EEET BY MR. IRELAND. 

'*' That I insist on having the affidavit 
drawn up by Sam, and signed and sworn 
before a magistrate, in order to its beiDg 
sent to Talbot, and then to be laid before 
the public : and I likewise insist on having 



255 

the remainder of the papers, so often pro- 
mised me." 



ANXIETY ON MR. IRELAND S ACCOUNT. 

As the only object I had in view was 
the total exculpation of Mr. Samuel Ire- 
land from having been connected in the 
fabrication (Mr. Albany Wallis having 
given it as his decided opinion that no 
blame would attach itself to me, as a boy, 
for having written the manuscripts, where- 
as Mr. Ireland's character, as a man in 
years, and established in the world, would 
suffer from the suggestion, as it would be 
inferred that the whole had been executed 
by him for the purpose of gain), I request- 
ed Mr. A. Wallis to draw out a proper 
affidavit, in order to my swearing to the 
same and its after insertion in the public 
prints ; with which request Mr. Wallis 
willingly complied ; when the following 
was the form of the oath to be administer- 
ed on that occasion, as drawn out by the 
above gentleman. 



256 



AFFIDAVIT DRAWN OUT BY A. WALLIS, ESQ. 

" In justice to my father, and to remove the odium 
under which he labours respecting the papers published 
by him as the manuscripts of Shakspeare, I do hereby 
solemnly declare, that they were given to him by me as 
the manuscripts of Shakspeare, and that he was totally 
ignorant and unacquainted with the source from whence 
they came, or with any matter relating to the same, or 
to any thing save what was told him by myself ; and 
that he published them without any knowledge, or even 
the smallest intention of fraud or imposition, but under 
a firm belief and persuasion of their authenticity, as I 
had given him to understand they were so. 

" W. H. IBELAND." 
" 17 January, 1796." 



DISSATISFACTION OF MR. IRELAND. 

Although Mr. Albany Wallis conceived 
the above affidavit in every respect ade- 
quate to answer the end required, it was 
nevertheless deemed insufficient by Mr. 
Samuel Ireland ; who still dwelt on the 
hardship of not being made a participator 
with Mr. Wallis in the fatal mystery re- 
specting the manuscripts, No arguments 
adduced by Mr. Wallis were sufficient to 



257 

pacify Mr. Ireland on that head ; and it 
was, I believe, solely on this account that 
the affidavit in question was never required 
to be sworn to by me, or inserted in the 
public newspapers, notwithstanding the rei- 
terated entreaties of Mr. A. Wallis and my- 
self on that head. 

PRESSING LETTER FROM MR. IRELAND TO MR. 
TALBOT. 

On a prior occasion, and to the best of 
my recollection during the meetings of the 
committees, several very urgent letters 
were forwarded by Mr. Ireland to Mr. 
Talbot (then in Dublin), in order to draw 
from him a similar confirmation by oath to 
that required of me by the committee — viz., 
" That, to the best of his knowledge and 
belief, he thought the manuscripts the real 
productions of Shakspeare." — These com- 
munications of course had no effect : after 
which the form of the request was changed, 
though tending precisely to the same pur- 
port, being fully explained under the fol- 
lowing head. 

M 5 



258 

MR. TALBOT'S AFFIDAVIT REQUIRED. 

In one of the letters so dispatched to 
Mr. Talbot by Mr. S. Ireland, he request- 
ed to know whether Mr. Talbot had any 
objection to make an affidavit as to the 
truth of the contents of his letter forwarded 
to Mr. Ireland, in which he gave the 
account of the discovery of the manu- 
scripts, as agreed upon between Mr. Talbot 
and myself. In answer to this, Mr. Talbot 
replied, that, if I would first enter into the 
oath, he would also swear that no indivi- 
dual, except ourselves and the supposed 
Mr. H, knew the secret. — In this instance 
Mr. Talbot was perfectly secure, being well 
aware, that, as there was no such person in 
existence as Mr. H, I could not enter into 
an oath whereby I would have been guilty 
of perjury. Upon my consequent refusal, 
I need scarcely add that all the blame was 
thrown upon me by Mr. Ireland : and 
upon several applications being afterwards 
made in order to Mr. Talbot's singly en- 
tering into such an affidavit, he constantly 



259 

refused ; actuated, I conjecture, by similar 
motives to those which deterred me. 



CONFESSION OF THE FACT TO MR. IRELAND BY 
LETTER. 

As every endeavour to calm Mr. Samuel 
Ireland's mind proved futile, I consulted 
Mr. Albany Wallis on the expediency of 
dispatching a letter to him averring my- 
self the author of the manuscripts, and 
referring him for further satisfaction to Mr. 
Albany Wallis : to which suggestion Mr. 
Wallis agreed ; and I in consequence 
penned a very long epistle to Mr. Ireland, 
stating the whole transaction, and craving 
his pardon in the most submissive terms 
for the error I had committed and the 
trouble I had thus unintentionally caused 
him. This communication, being ap- 
proved of by Mr. Wallis, was imme- 
diately forwarded to Mr. Samuel Ireland 
for his perusal. 



260 



MR. IRELAND S INCREDULITY. 

The effect produced by this letter was 
diametrically opposite to what Mr. Wallis 
had conjectured, although I was by no 
means astonished at the impression thereby 
made on Mr. Samuel Ireland's mind ; who 
instantly attended on Mr. Wallis, stating 
it as his firm belief that there was not a 
word of truth in my statement ; that he 
still believed the papers genuine ; that 
no set of men could have produced the 
mass of evidence then in his possession ; 
and that with respect to my assuming the 
title of author of the manuscripts, he was 
as fully convinced as that he then had 
existence I never could have produced 
them. — It was in vain that Mr. Wallis 
argued the point, and endeavoured to con- 
vince Mr. Ireland that I had not deceived 
him by the confession in my letter : he 
would not be pacified, nor examine the 
similar hand-writing of the documents 
then in Mr. Wallis's possession : and, still 



261 

adhering to his own belief, he quitted Mr. 
Wallis, firmly maintaining that the manu- 
scripts were indisputably the productions 
of William Shakspeare. 

DETERMINATION TO PUBLISH A STATEMENT OF 
FACTS. 

As the fact, when stated, would not be 
accredited by Mr. Samuel Ireland, I was 
at a loss what step should be taken ; for he 
still maintained his former belief, and con- 
stantly demanded of me the manuscripts 
which had been promised as forthcoming 
previous to my confession of the whole 
transaction. Thus circumstanced, I once 
more consulted Mr. Albany Wallis ; giving 
it as my opinion that the only means of ex- 
culpating Mr. Samuel Ireland from any 
censure whatsoever, would be my publica- 
tion of a pamphlet stating concisely every 
fact. With this opinion Mr. Wallis did 
not coincide ; advising me rather to suffer 
the matter to die away than give such a 
testimony to the public. 

What was to be done in this posture of 



262 

affairs ? Mr. Samuel Ireland still believed 
the papers genuine ; he demanded the 
remainder, which had been promised ; he 
exhorted me to confess the truth, which, 
though already made known, he would 
not believe ; and, lastly, he peremptorily 
insisted on my clearing his character to 
the world from every aspersion which had 
been thrown upon it. Tormented by the 
reflexion that whilst I remained silent my 
fathers character bore undeservedly an 
offensive stigma, and knowing no better 
mode to free him from censure than that 
which I had suggested, 1 determined to 
act in opposition to the advice of Mr. 
Wallis, and give to the world a concise 
statement of the facts. 

PUBLICATION OF THE PAMPHLET. 

No sooner was this resolution formed 
than I committed to paper, in the most 
laconic manner possible, the leading parti- 
culars of the fabrication, which were pub- 
lished, in a pamphlet consisting of forty- 
three pages, under the following title : 



263 

"An 

Authentic Account 

of the 

Shaksperian Manuscripts, fyc 

By W. H. Ireland." 

RARITY OF THE PAMPHLET. 

Of the above publication, which was 
sold at one shilling, only five hundred 
copies were printed : and so rare have they 
now become, that a single impression of 
the pamphlet has been known to sell, in a 
sale-room, for the sum of one guinea. The 
only copy now in my possession is deficient 
in one leaf; and for this very mutilated 
impression I was compelled to pay eigh- 
teen shillings ; being given to understand, 
at the time of purchasing the same, that I 
was favoured in its sale at that price, be- 
cause I was the author of the production. 

VINDICATION OF MY PAMPHLET. 

After the publication of my pamphlet, 
it was boldly asserted, by all the believers 
in the manuscripts, that the individual who 
had written it could never have been the 



264 

author of the language to be found through- 
out the Shaksperian productions. In an- 
swer to this, my reply is, that the then un- 
settled state of my mind incapacitated me 
even from thinking coolly on any subject. 
I may further add, that I was not endea- 
vouring to commit blank verse to paper : 
neither was it requisite for me to soar into 
the " heaven of heavens," in order to give 
the world " a plain unvarnishM tale." 
The pamph let was the production of per- 
turbed moments, and contained facts as 
repugnant to my feelings as they could be 
to the most strenuous advocate for the pa- 
pers. With all its imperfections, let its 
object be remembered : it was committed 
to the press for the most laudable of pur- 
poses, — to remove the odium which was 
unjustly heaved upon the innocent : and 
however I may have since been, by many, 
condemned for this procedure, I still con- 
ceive that it was the only method left me 
of compassing the desired end ; and as 
such, my conscience does not upbraid me. 



265 

A SECOND LETTER EORWARDED TO MR. S. 
IRELAND. 

Some time after the publication of my 
pamphlet, Mr. Samuel Ireland still adhe- 
ring to his former opinions, and being my- 
self well acquainted with the objections 
raised by many against the style of my 
pamphlet, I forwarded a further explana- 
tory epistle to Mr. Samuel Ireland, detail- 
ing every fact which might tend to unde- 
ceive him in his erroneous suggestions, 
and vindicating the contents of my publi- 
cation, which had greatly exasperated him. 
A portion of the letter alluded to, of which 
I retained a transcript, being applicable 
to the present topic, I shall insert under 
the ensuing head, that the reader may be 
enabled to form a truer judgement upon 
the subject. 



QUOTATION FROM MY SECOND LETTER TO MR. 
IRELAND. 

That I have been guilty of a fault in giving 

you the manuscripts, I confess and am sorry for it 
but must at the same time assure you, that it was done 

NT 



266 

without a bad intention, or even a thought of what 
would ensue. 

As you have repeatedly stated that "truth will find 
its basis ;" even so will your character, notwithstanding 
every malignant aspersion, soon appear unblemished in 
the eyes of the world. 

I must also appeal to the above expression : and al- 
though the style of my pamphlet may, when compared 
with my Vortigern, Henry the Second, &c, appear to 
be the production of a different person, and for the 
present confirm the public in the opinion that I am not 
the author of the papers ; yet, sir, I do most solemnly 
appeal to my Grod that a day must come when the con- 
tents of my pamphlet will be allowed ; and thereby 
never-erring " truth will find its basis." 

I am extremely sorry you did not, before the publi- 
cation of your book, inspect the papers which I left in 
Mr. Wallis's possession, and which I now beg you will 
no longer delay examining, as they contain a similar 
account to that published in my pamphlet. I make 
this remark, as your statement throws a degree of my- 
stery on the transaction, which may give the world an 
idea of some different and concealed statement being in 
the hands of Mr. Wallis. 



EXPLANATORY OF A SENTENCE IN MY SECOND 
LETTER TO MR, IRELAND. 

A considerable time after the appear- 
ance of my confession, Mr. Samuel Ireland 
produced a pamphlet in vindication of his 



267 

own character : in one part of which he 
insinuates that other documents were 
placed in the hands of Mr. A. Wallis of 
Norfolk Street than those mentioned by 
me. This statement induced me in my 
letter to request that Mr. Ireland would 
no longer delay to satisfy himself on 
that head, as the casting of such a doubt 
upon the subject tended to invalidate the 
statement of facts given to the public in 
my pamphlet. The particular words made 
use of by Mr. Ireland, in his Vindication, 
I cannot now call to mind, nor am I in 
possession of the work in question ; but 
the sentence, I well recollect, was intended 
to convey the idea of an inexplicable my- 
stery overhung the documents vested in 
the hands of Mr. A. Wallis. 

FINAL STATEMENT RESPECTING MR. M. TALBOT. 

I should not forget to state, that on the 
morning my pamphlet was published I 
forwarded a letter to Mr. Montague Tal- 
bot, expressive of the disquietudes I had 
N 2 



268 

suffered and the steps I had been compell- 
ed to adopt, and altogether exonerating 
him from the promise of secresy made 
to me on a prior occasion. In the same 
communication I requested his pardon for 
the painful dilemma in which I had in- 
volved him, by requesting his participa- 
tion in the story respecting the discovery 
of the papers. To this letter Mr. M. Tal- 
bot wrote me a very friendly answer : nor 
can I close this last statement respecting 
that gentleman, without once more offering 
him my sincere thanks for the inviolable 
secresy he preserved, and his generous in- 
terposition in my favour whensoever he 
conceived that his assistance would prove 
beneficial to me. 

A GOOD HIT. 

In the Morning Chronicle was inserted 
one of the most sarcastic remarks that 
appeared during the whole of the Shak- 
sperian controversy. The paragraph which 
contained it appeared immediately after 



269 

W. H. Ireland's confession of his being the 
writer of the manuscripts. It ran nearly 
as follows : 

" "W. H. Ireland has come forward and announced 
himself author of the papers attributed by him to Shak- 
speare; which, if true, proves him to be a liar." 

CHARGE ADDUCED AGAINST MR. A. WALLIS. 

Several months after the production of 
my explanatory pamphlet, Mr. Albany 
Wallis was given to understand that Mr. 
Samuel Ireland attributed to him all the 
blame which he attached to that publica- 
tion, and that he was also desirous I should 
retract the whole of its contents. In con- 
sequence of this statement, and in order to 
justify his own conduct, Mr. Wallis dis- 
patched a note, requesting to see me. I 
attended ; and upon hearing Mr. Wallis's 
detail of the affair, I instantly committed 
the following lines to paper, in justifica- 
tion of the conduct of that gentleman on 
the occasion. 



N 3 



270 



REFUTATION OF THE CHARGE AGAINST MR. 
WALLIS. 

Dear sir, 

Having heard, from very good authority, that Mr. S. 
Ireland is desirous I should retract a part, if not the 
whole, of my pamphlet, and wishing moreover that I 
should mention you as the person who urged me to 
bring it forward,! think it but just that I should contra- 
dict such an assertion, and declare, that, very far from 
instigating me to the business, you rather wished me to 
remain totally silent,a,nd suffer the affair u to die away" 
— such being frequently your expression. Tet, not- 
withstanding such advice, I rather chose to come for- 
ward with the truth than suffer the world to continue in 
ignorance. 

I remain, dear sir, &c, 

W. H. IEELAKD. 

January 31, 1797. 

MR. SAMUEL IRELAND'S PREJUDICE. 

As a proof of the persecuting spirit 
which was unceasingly displayed to my 
detriment, I may mention that the warm 
emotions of the heart were discarded by 
Mr. Ireland, who dreaded any connexion 
whatsoever with me ; fearful lest the world 
should brand him with countenancing me, 
and thereby be , led to infer that he had 
been secretly concerned in the fabrication 



271 

of the manuscripts. In the advertisement 
to the play of Henry the Second, published 
by Mr. Barker of Russel Street (vide p. 3), 
appear, in italics, the following words of 
Mr. Samuel Ireland. 

QUOTATION FROM MR. IRELAND^ ADVERTISE- 
MENT TO HENRY THE SECOND. 

"That he" (Mr. S. Ireland) "has had no intercourse 
or communication with the cause of all this public and 
domestic misfortune for near three years — the period at 
which the party alluded to quitted his house — except 
one meeting, had at the request and in the presence of 
Mr. Albany Wallis of Norfolk Street." 

TWO OE SHAKSPEARE'S LETTERS DISCOVERED 
AT KNOLE IN KENT. 

It has been stated in the public prints, 
and I conjecture with truth, that two let- 
ters from the pen of Shakspeare were dis- 
covered some time since at Knole in Kent, 
among the papers of the Dorset family, 
written by our bard to the then lord- 
chamberlain upon mere official business 
relative to theatrical matters. This cir- 
cumstance has frequently led me to con- 
jecture what would have proved the con- 

N 4 



272 

sequence supposing that my manuscripts 
had passed current, and that upon com- 
parison they had been found altogether 
dissimilar to the penmanship contained 
in the two letters in question. A second 
controversy would doubtless have proved 
the case, when 

" Critics anew had vented all their rage, 
And gall, in ebon streams, inibu'd the page." 

THE FOREIGN GENTLEMAN AND LAVATER THE 
PHYSIOGNOMIST. 

I beg leave to premise, ere I proceed 
with the subject of this head, that I do not 
insert the following statement to sooth a 
self-complacence, nor because I have con- 
fidence in the physiognomical principles 
of Lavater. The anecdote (which is posi- 
tively true) is given solely because of its 
singularity. 

After having quitted my father's house, 
I was frequently invited to Thomp- 
son's, esq., M.P. On one particular occa- 
sion he introduced me at dinner to a fo- 
reign gentleman, who had frequently heard 



273 

of the Shaksperian fabrication, and who 
was a staunch adherent to the principles 
of Lavater the physiognomist. Some time 
after the cloth was withdrawn, the above 
gentleman having riveted his eyes upon 
my face for a considerable time, at length 
replenished his glass, and, after drinking 
my health, addressed himself to Mr. 
Thompson, stating that he had carefully 
examined the character of my physio- 
gnomy, and that, although he could not 
from the principles of Lavater have pre- 
cisely indicated the subject on which I 
had been occupied, he should nevertheless 
have known that some circumstance of an 
uncommon and public nature had for a 
length of time overpowered every other 
consideration in my mind. 

MR. BOADEN's LETTER TO MR. G. STEEVENS. 

A very early oppositionist to the validity 

of the fabricated manuscripts was the above 

Mr. Boaden, who, from being one of their 

most staunch supporters, suddenly shifted 

N 5 



274 

his ground, and in a letter addressed to 
Mr. George Steevens endeavoured to con- 
trovert what was at that stage of the busi- 
ness generally believed, — that the manu- 
scripts were from the pen of Shakspeare. 

In pages 17 and 18 of his pamphlet, 
under the head " Collations and Remarks/' 
is the following paragraph ; which proves 
that Mr. Boaden in his research went be- 
yond Mr. Malone, as he there allows that 
the fabricator had referred to the edition 
of Lear in 1608. As to his statement with 
regard to the folio of 1623, he has not, 
however, proved himself so acute ; that 
edition being then in my possession, and 
often referred to by me. — 

" The first circumstance I think it necessary to re- 
mark is, that diligent collation of the printed copies 
with the Lear just published, has enabled me to decide, 
that the writer of the manuscript at first used only the 
second folio edition, with such modern impressions as 
he might chance to possess — although, in the course of 
the play he acquires evidently a copy of Butter's quarto, 
1608, and uses it with so determined a preference over 
the folio, that he preserves its readings to the absolute 
injury of the sense of the passages. The folio 1623 he 



275 

does not appear to have seen. The first proof which is 
offered occurs in the bequest of Lear to G-onerill. The 
words, which we find in the folio — 

1 and with champaines rich'd 
With, plenteous rivers ' — 

are in Mr. Ireland's edition, and are not in the quarto. ,, 

Mr. Boaden's remark with respect to the 
word alas, in page 21, I must certainly 
allow to be correct. My long residence 
in France had so accustomed me to spell 
the word Adas, that a considerable period 
elapsed ere I corrected myself of that 
mistake in orthography. The note in 
question is as follows. — 

" By this curious mode of writing the interjection 
one might be tempted to believe that Shakspeare had 
received a French education at the college of St. Omers. ,, 

In page 41 Mr. Boaden quotes the 
words that follow in italics from lord 
Southampton's letter, and adds the annex- 
ed comment. — 

" i Thryce I have assayed to wryte, and thryce mye 
efforts have benne fruitless e is a sentence that seems to 
have been written by a reader of Milton : 

' Thrice he essay' d, and thrice, in spite of scorn, 
Tears, such as angels weep, burst forth.' " 



276 

On this comment I have only to re- 
mark, that Milton or his works never 
occurred to me at the moment when lord 
Southampton's letter was written. This is 
one of the many instances to be adduced 
of the fallacy of such criticisms, which are 
as remote from truth as they must prove 
uninteresting to the reader. 

With respect to the tout-ensemble of Mr. 
Boaden' s pamphlet, I have little to state, 
further than that its appearance stamped 
that gentleman's apostacy, and brought 
his name into public notice as an avowed 
enemy to the Shaksperian production. 

boaden's pamphlet answered. 

Shortly after the appearance of the 
above gentleman's pamphlet, Mr. Wy*tt, 
who had frequently inspected the manu- 
scripts, and entertained no doubts of their 
genuineness, published an answer to Mr. 
Boaden's publication, under the following 
title — " A comparative Review of the 
Opinions of Mr. James Boaden (Editor of 
the Oracle), &c.„ in 1795, and of James 



27^ 



\i t 



Boaden, Esq. (Author of Fontainville 
Forest, &c), in 1796 : By a Friend to 
Consistency." 

In pages 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11, in order 
to show the former opinions of Mr. Boa- 
den on the subject of the manuscripts, Mr. 
Wy*tt quotes some of the paragraphs 
which appeared in the Oracle ; being as 
follow. — 

" c Shakspeare manuscripts. — By the obliging polite- 
ness of Mr. Ireland, of Norfolk Street, the conductor of 
this paper * is enabled to gratify, in a general way, the 
public curiosity. To particularise would be fraudulent 
and ungrateful. Besides the Lear and Vortigern, there 
are various -penpers y ihe domes tica facta of this great man's 
life, discovered. 

" l A letter to the lady he afterwards married, distin- 
guished for the utmost delicacy of passion, and poetical 
spirit. It incloses a lock of his hair, also preserved. 

" ' A profession of his religious faith, rationally 
pious, and grandly expressed. 

" i Some poetical compliments and poetical exercises 
of fancy, amongst the company at whose head he is 
numbered. Devises of land ; receipts for money ad- 
vanced, &c. ; and a discovery relative to lord Southamp- 

" * For attributing to Mr. Boaden the paragraphs which appear- 
ed in the Oracle relative to the Shakspeare MSS. I have one simple 
reason, viz., that he was the only person eoncernedin the direction 
of that paper that ever viewed them." 



278 

ton, which we forbear to anticipate, reflecting immortal 
honour upon the bounty of the one, and the modesty of 
the other. It is the intention of Mr. Ireland to publish 
the first volume, with fac-similes, if possible, by the 
king's birth-day ; the second volume probably within 
the following year : and now, to this new information, 
we have only to add, that the conviction produced upon 
our mind, is such as to make all scepticism ridiculous, 
and when we follow the sentiments of Dr. Joseph 
"Wharton, we have no fear of our critical orthodoxy.' 

" The same paper of the 21st contained further ob- 
servations to this effect: 'When we were favoured with 
a sight of these invaluable remains, we promised the 
possessor that no sneering animadversions, written by 
those who had never seen them, should pass without 
reply, and probably reproof. One gentleman makes 
himself merry with a profession of faith from Shak- 
speare ; he shall be reduced at once to the plea of 
ignoramus, — there happens to be indisputable proof that 
this was the custom of the age, nay, that other members 
of the same family had done so. 

" * But an objection has been urged triumphantly by 
those who have not seen, that a gentleman who had been 
accustomed to the hand- writing of that period, was yet 
unable to read them. 

" ' The writer of this article is ready to prove his 
acquaintance with the hand-writing of Elizabeth's 
reign, in the first instance, and to read once more the 
MSS. in the second. — As to the silly stuff about the 
poet's courtship and the lock of hair, with recollection 
of similar feelings and similar gifts — 

" We cannot but remember such things were, 
And were most precious to us " 



279 

" ' The man who cannot, should never trust himself 
with the subject of Shakspeare's life, should never by a 
touch " pollute the page of inspiration." ' 

" On the 26th of February, Mr. Boaden called a 
second time on Mr. Ireland, again expressed his convic- 
tion of the authenticity of the MSS. and took so deep an 
interest in their success, as to send, on the following 
day, a letter (of which I among others have been favour- 
ed with a sight) which is only remarkable for the offi- 
cious zeal with which he endeavours to make himself a 
party in the ultimate success of the MSS. — an extract 
will be sufficient to satisfy the reader — 
" ' My dear sir, 

" ' Though I spoke from memory when I said that 
Hunsdonwaslord-chamberlainofElizabetb'shousehold, 
it was correctly stated — Henry Carey, whom she created 
a baron in the first year of her reign, had the charge of 
her person at court — and to secure us as to the required 
date, he was with her at the Tilbury camp, in the year 
1588, and had there the care of her person. — I think this 
ample satisfaction upon the subject, and lose no time in 
sending it. This, or any deeper inquiry, will be but a 
poor return for the favour of your unreserved communi- 
cation.' 

" On the 28th appeared the following : 

" ' The manuscripts of Shakspeare. — The public look 
up to us for a faithful account of these important papers 
— what we have opportunity to examine, we shall, from 
time to time, report with the most scrupulous fidelity. 
We have read a considerable portion of the MS. Lear. 
In the title- page, the great bard professes to have taken 
the story from Holingshed, and has,in the true spirit of 



280 

modesty, apologised for the liberty he took in departing 
from the exact statements of the Chronicle. — There is a 
letter from queen Elizabeth to Shakspeare, when the poet 
was manager of the Globe, commanding him with his 
best players to perform before her, and thanking him 
for some verses which her majesty much admired. — We 
think it will be clearly proved that all the degrading 
nonsense, of his holding horses, &c, will be found 
utterly fictitious, aud that this great man was the 
Garrick of his age, caressed for his powers by every 
one great and illustrious, the gentle friend of genius, 
and most excellent in the quality he professed.' 

" On the 23d of April, this paragraph appeared — 
" ' The Shaksperiana, which have been so luckily 
discovered, are now considered as genuine by all but 
those who illiberally refuse to be convinced by inspec- 
tion.' " 

In pages 44 and 45, in order to expose 
the wonderful change so speedily effected 
in Mr. Boaden's opinions, Mr. Wy*tt con- 
trasts his sentiments on the papers of the 
two different periods named in the title. 

" Letter to Anna H cither v: aye. 
" Oracle. " James Boaden, esq. 

" This letter is ' distin- " ' This letter must, if 
guished for the utmost de- genuine, have been writ- 
licacy of passion and poe- ten at sixteen years of age. 
tical spirit.' The expressions have no- 

thing of the character of 



281 



our prose in that period of 
our literature. The verses 
(that follow in Mr. Ire- 
land's publication) are wor- 
thy of no other notice than 
that they are metrically 
smooth.' Page 40 of a 
Letter to G. Steevens, esq: 



" Letter to Lord Southampton. 



" Oracle. 
" c A discovery relative 
to lord Southampton, re- 
flecting immortal honour 
on the bounty of the one 
and the modesty of the 
other. The conviction pro- 
duced upon our mind is 
such as to make all scep- 
ticism ridiculous.' 



" James Boaden, esq. 

" 'The judicious critic 
at once perceives the mo- 
dern colouring of diction 
and flow of language.' 
Page 42." 



" The Profession of Faith. 



" Oracle. 
" c A profession of his 
religious faith, rationally 
pious and grandly express- 
ed.' 



" James Boaden, esq. 

" ' No thing but the pu- 
erile quaintness and idio- 
matic poverty of a metho- 
dist rhapsody ! Exquisite 
nonsense ! Execrable jar- 
gon !' Pp. 42, 43, 44." 



Of Mr. Wy*tt's pamphlet I shall only 
further add, that it was at the time deemed 



282 

a very spirited defence, and proved highly 
gratifying to every advocate for the vali- 
dity of the Shaksperian manuscripts. 



MR. W*BB S PAMPHLET. 

One of the most strenuous and able ad- 
vocates of the Shaksperian production, was 
Mr. W*bb, who, under the assumed ap- 
pellation of " Philalethes," gave a pam- 
phlet to the world with the title "Shak- 
speare's manuscripts, in the Possession of 
Mr. Ireland, examined, respecting the in- 
ternal and external Evidences of their 
Authenticity," &c. 

Speaking of the books with Shaksperian 
notes, Mr. W*bb, in pages 20 and 21, 
gives the ensuing paragraph. — 

" He is thus surrounded with a host of witnesses : 
for not only every book, but almost every page of some 
of them, declare to whom they belonged. I therefore 
think I see this immortal poet rise again to life, holding 
these sacred relics in one hand, and hear him say, These 
were mine : at the same time pointing with the other to 
these important volumes, once his own, informing us, 
that these were his delightful companions in his leisure 
hours of retirement and study : by conversing ^ with 



283 

whom lie derived pleasure, profit, and delight : who 
letting fall their sparks upon his enkindling mind, light- 
ed up that muse of fire, by which inspired, 

'This Poet's eye in a fine phrensy rolling, 
Did glance from heav'n to earth, from earth to heav'n.' " 

In pages 23, 24, and 25, Mr. W*bb is 
pleased to say that transcendent beauties 
of metaphor and expression frequently oc- 
cur in the manuscripts, and lavishes en- 
comiums on the style prevailing through- 
out. The numerous productions, he says, 

" are all brought into unity by the exalted ge- 
nius and boundless imagination of him to whom they 
relate. They grow out of, belong to, are his appro- 
priates : he gathers all to himself. They are- sacred 
fasces bound together in indissoluble union by the au- 
thoritative hand of Shakspeare himself; to which we 
must all, sooner or later, yield ready assent, or reluctant 
obedience." 

" In some cases, it is true, an author, as well as other 
men, might be imitated, both in his manner and style, 
as well as in the signature of his name. But that is not 
the case in the present instance. All great and eminent 
geniuses have their characteristic peculiarities, which 
not only distinguish them from all others, but make them 
what they are. These none can rival, none successfully 
imitate. Of all men and poets, Shakspeare had the most 
of these. He was a particular being, he stood alone, 



284 

To imitate him, so as to pass the deceit on the world, 
appears to me next to an impossibility. Who could 
soar with his sublime genius? Who rove with his bound- 
less imagination? "Who could rival his pregnant wit ? 
Who with intuitive inspection discover the workings of 
the human mind, and by the natural evolutions of the 
passions interest us so deeply, as this matchless poet ? 
Now these papers in question bear on them the same 
strong marks of his original genius, as those with which 
his acknowledged writings are deeply impressed. Is it 
then an unfair inquiry to ask, if these are not Shak- 
speare's, to whom do they belong ? To whom else are 
they to be ascribed ? Was ever another cast in his 
mould ? Or can any other be paralleled with him ?" 

" For my own part, I must confess, that, if such evi- 
dences of character had appeared unsupported by any 
other, I should have pronounced upon them at once ; 
and have said, that as there never was but one man 
who could have produced such works, that he, and he 
only, has produced them. The peculiarity, nature, and 
force of this proof, and its fair application to the case in 
question, is of such weight with me, that I am free to de- 
clare, that had not Skakspeare's name appeared upon 
these papers, I should not have hesitated to have ascrib- 
ed them to him. 

" But these papers bear not only the signature of his 
hand, but also the stamp of his soul, and the traits of his 
genius. His mind is as manifest as his hand. The 
touches of the same great master every- where appear, 
and appear to advantage, as they have not been cor- 
rected or chastised by a bold or unskilful hand. Here 
they are with all their excellences and all their imper- 



285 

fections on their head : and by, as well as with, these 
they are to be judged.'' 

In support of the authenticity of the pa- 
pers, Mr. W*bb, in page 33, states the fol- 
lowing fact: — 

H I beg leave to mention one particular instance, 
among many others, of a learned dignified divine, whom, 
with two others, I introduced myself to peruse these pa- 
pers ; who signified his approbation and conviction in 
the following strong expressions : Dr. Farmer has 
proved, as nearly to mathematical demonstration as the 
nature of the thing will allow, that Shakspeare was not 
possessed of classical learning. The papers we have in- 
spected this day come as near to the same sort of proof, 
respecting their authenticity, as the nature of such evi- 
dence cm admit.' In which declaration he was sup- 
ported by the ready assent of two other reverend and 
learned gentlemen, by whom we were accompanied." 

I trust I shall not be accused of inordi- 
nate fondness of self-praise for making the 
above extracts. So much has been said 
and written in reprobation of the style of 
my productions by soi-disant critics, that I 
hold it but an act of self- justice to give the 
world the opposite sentiments of at least 
one man of wit, learning, and sense, who 
wrote uninfluenced by any other consi- 



-56 

deration than regard for truth — though I 
am as free to confess as my contemners, 
that his enthusiastic regard for every thing 
relating to our immortal Shakspeare (which 
for once overcame his better judgeme: 
has led him to pour forth praises as much 
above my humble deserts as his own worth 
is superior to any thing I could say in 
grateful commendation of it. 

MR. WALDRON. 

This gentleman of the sock, having put 
on the consideration-cap of my lord Bur- 
leigh in the Critic, threw down his gaunt- 
let, and boldly entered the lists with his 
brother commentators against the genuine- 
ness of my manuscripts. The pamphlet 
which this gentleman issued was entitled 
" Free Reflections on miscellaneous Pa- 
pers and legal Instruments, under the 
Hand and Seal of William Shakspeare, in 
the Possession of Samuel Ireland, of Nor- 
folk Street/' &c. This publication was 
made the vehicle of a play called " The 
Virgin Queen," intended as a continuation 



287 

of Shakspeare's Tempest, from the phren- 
sied brain of Mr. Waldron. 

As this gentleman's production, how- 
ever, is for argument unworthy of a name 
when compared with the colossal Inquiry 
of Mr. Malone, I shall leave Mr. Waldron 
and his Virgin Queen for his more re- 
doubted friend, 

'•The hect'ring kill-cow Hercules." 

MR. MALONE's INQUIRY. 

Having in the progress of the foregoing 
pages, very frequently adverted to the 
above elaborate work, produced for the 
purpose of overturning the whole Shak- 
sperian fabric, I shall in the present in- 
stance content myself with a very few 
words upon the subject; as the able cri- 
ticisms of Mr. George Chalmers have so 
fully substantiated the futility of Mr. 
Malone's judgement upon every topic, his 
flimsy pretensions as an antiquary, and his 
absolute want of acquaintance with the 
language of the very period of Shakspeare, 



28 

on which he has pretended to comment with 
so much ostentation. 

m the perusal of Mr. Malone's In- 
quiry, it must appear evident to the mean- 
est capacity that the commentator never 
dreamed of an opponent, although he ven- 
tured to peep into the court of Apollo 
during his drowsy lit : for after his con- 
clusions are drawn upon each topic of dis- 

fflion, hifi pages are bc xmceitedly in- 
terlarded with ' ; Let us no longer hear of 
this" — " I trust we shall hear no more of 
that/' and an hundred et-c rf the 

oe nature, that it should appear 
if Mr. Malone's fiat were irrevocable ; 
where m the perusal of Mr. Chal- 

mers's Apol jgy and Supplement, the f: 
in them exhibited and the just conclusi. 
drawn, it is obvious that Malone was : : t 
only dreaming of Parnassus, but absolu: 
in a doze from the beginning* to the termi- 
nation of his boasted Inquiry. could 
the mighty V._ -i-r.eare look down from 
above upon this commentator, then might 



289 

the bard have recourse to his own words,, 

and exclaim 

" Oh but man, proud man, 

Drest in a little brief authority, 

Most ignorant of what he's most assur'd, 

like an angry ape, 

Plays such fantastic tricks before high Heav'n 
As make the angels weep." 

Or rather, as Mr. Malone has kindly un- 
dertaken, in his celebrated dream at the 
termination of his Inquiry, to destroy (in 
company with Messrs. Farmer, Steevens, 
and Tyrwhitt) every vestige of the Shak- 
sperian fabrication, I shall, by the laws of 
retaliation, pass sentence upon the com- 
mentaries and Inquiry of this renowned 
critic ; having recourse to his own pretty 
jeu d' esprit on the occasion. 

A PROSAIC DREAM POETISED. 

Employed on Shakspeare's theme divine, 
The page all notes, save one poor line # , 

* Numerous instances of this kind are to be found in 
the last edition of Mr. Malone's Shakspeare, where the 
unfortunate reader, in perusing one noble speech of our 
Shakspeare, is under the painful necessity of turning 
over a dozen pages, on account of the inexplicable 

O 



290 

Comments with erudition deep 

I conn'd, and so fell fast asleep ; 
When, lo ! after such drowsy reading, 
Methought I turned my mind to pleading 
Our Shakspeare's cause, and tried the votes 
O' the Muses nine 'gainst Irish notes. 

Is ow Sol being there (Parnassus' master, 
Great songster, and a poetaster), 
With his attendant dames to boot, 
Exclaim'd, " I here arrest the suit, 

II Until this new opinion heard is ; 

" For rashly judging most absurd is." 
Around m' inquiring eye was turn'd ; 
"When, lo ! our Shakspeare I discern' d ; 
Though not, I'll tell thee, friend, because 
A picture once of duke Chandos # 
His semblance bore : 'twas you must know, 
He's like t'his print i' the old folio ; 
Than which no duke of high degree, 
Or Irish critic having three, 

trash foisted in by commentators to perplex the sense of 
the poet and swell out a neiv edition. 

* I have on a former occasion alluded to the subject 
of this and the ensuing four lines ; but as the exposition 
of such a conceited farrago of nonsense cannot be pre- 
judicial, and may perhaps tend to physic the commen- 
tator's egotism, I have here thought fit to give him a 
second hint, in order that when the caco'ethes scribendi 
again seizes him he may pay less homage to himself 
and be more attentive to the dictates of common sense. 



291 

Can boast a semblance Half so true. 

Now to't again and let's pursue 

The vision. — Though I found at bowls* 

No Spenser, Suckling, or such souls ; 

No Hales ; or, on a barrel's back, 

Old surly Jonson, sad for sack : 

No ; all I saw was Eitson ready, 

And Chalmers " cap-apee " and steady. 

With whose opinions mine proceeding, 

Apollo straight the counsel heeding, 

Exclaim'd, " My judgement in this case is, — ] 

" An Irish comment such disgrace is, 

" That, to appease the wrath o' the nation, 

" There should be made one conflagration 

" Of each grand copy, so misleading 

" The reader from his author's reading : 

" That Chalmers should each dear edition 

" Consign, with Eitson, to perdition 

" In blazing flame : that then full scope 

" To Butler, Dryden, Swift, and Pope, 

# It is infinitely to be wondered at, that an indivi- 
dual like Mr. Malone, who must have so frequently per- 
used the divine effusions of our bard, should have reaped 
no more advantage from his flights of fancy than to make 
a set of poets occupied on Parnassus at a game of bowls. 
We shall not be surprised if, on some future occasion, 
the same commentator, in a somniferous mood, should 
introduce Homer, Hesiod, Pindar, &c, engaged in a 
game at ring-taw or facetiously amusing themselves at 
blindman's luff I 

O 2 



292 

" Be instant giv r n, in song or satire, 

" Or epigram, that may bespatter 

" This Irish critic, form'd of vapour : 

" Which being done, each morning paper 

" Should publish same ; that so, his life long, 

" His fame be blazon'd in some droll song : 

" "Whence ev'ry man of taste will straight know 

" His name, as birds a tatter'd scarecrow.'\ 

This sentence, mild and just throughout, 
Was haird with loud poetic shout 
Of bards Parnassian ; which awoke me, 
And from old Morpheus' bondage broke me. 
So farewell all ! may Sol befriend us, 
And from all Irish notes defend us ! 



THE PARNASSIAN VISIT. 

The following verses are addressed to 
Mr. J. T. M*tth**s, who entered the lists 
against the manuscripts, and particularly 
levelled his wretched attempt at satire 
against Gr. Ch*lm*rs, esq. ; who, at the end 
of his Supplemental Apology for the Be- 
lievers, has addressed a postscript to Mr. 
M*tth**s, proving him deficient in every 
requisite that should constitute the poet. 
In the Pursuits of Literature the filthy 



293 

venom of the author is indiscriminately 
poured forth ; and it should seem, indeed, 
that 

" Existence is for him bereft of charms, 
When he longer sets the world at arms : 
Hated, as hating, and at endless strife. 

. Such are the joys that bind him to this life." 

It must be confessed, that the " leaden 
mace" of Mr. Ch*lm*rs has broken the 
spear of malignity and ignorance, by prov- 
ing, 



" with little pains, 

That heads, when open'd, maybe void of brains." 



LINES TO MR. J. T. M*TTH**S. 



Poor Matty's lame nag 

Had a horrible fag, 
When his master upon him did ride-a : 

Such a jockey before 

Ne'er appear'd, I'll be swore, 
To amble near Helicon's side-a. 

Sure no verse-mating wight, 
With an ink-horn bedight, 

And quill, ever made such bravado : 
Tou'd have sworn, by his look, 
That the grave was forsook 

By Don Quixotte, to fight an armada. 

o3 



2! 

All the Muses ran straight 

To behold his strange gai: : 
They ran to examine the kniglat-a : 

But mark, great and small, 

TThat mischance did befal, 
TThen they question'd him as to his right-a. 

"With one voice cried the Xine, 

i; What production divine 
" Should warrant this trot to our mountain ? 

* Let us know what's ihy/oy 

" Pr'ythee show thy passport, 
" To ensure thee a draught from this fountain. 1 

To these words Matty said 
Sure, mcsdames^ ye have re; 
" Of my works, for of that I can't doubt-a 

u I made poor authors stare ; 

" For such rancour was there 
" That my venom has made a fine rout-a. 

;; My dark soul, I am sure, 

;; TV:ul endure 

' ; A dip in Melpomene's chalice, 
" Taan a poem quite new 
" Should have met public view 

" And not have been damn'd by my malice. 

" In malignity's guise 

"Have I dazzled men's eyes : 
" With Greek all the town has been treated : 

" So, puiFd up with my pride, 

1 ' I determin'd to ride, 
" And s: ._ " :_ '_ - - 



295 

" But the steed in a crack 

" Threw me plump from his back ; 

" In vain I loud ranted and swore-a : 
" When, in cursed despight, 
" Ch # lm # rs drubb'd me outright, 

u And prov'd I'd no poetic lore-a. 

" From my fears somewhat freed, 
" I've look'd round for my steed, 

" But no Pegasus find on the grass-a ; 
" But behold in his stead, 
" With lank ears on its head, 

" My palfrey this loud braying ass-a. 

" So unfold, I entreat, 

" The true cause of this cheat." — 

Cried the Nine, " You shall instantly know it : 
" "When dry Learning's the Muse, 
" You should think it no news 

"That a jack-ass should carry the poet." 

LINES TO MR. J. T. M*TTH**S PROVED CONSON- 
ANT WITH JUSTICE. 

That the reader may not conceive me 
over-splenetic in the foregoing lines, 1 
beg leave to refer him to Mr. Chalmers's 
Supplemental Apology, wherein he has 
proved, by incontestible evidence, the up- 
start pretensions of the author of the Pur- 
suits of Literature ; who for a short period 
o 4 



296 

dazzled the public with Greek quotations 
which were not comprehensible to the ge- 
nerality of the world, and thus became a 
species of dictator in literature. To direct 
my readers to the proofs adduced by Mr. 
Chalmers (which, by the way, should be 
graven in golden characters, and reared on 
high to undeceive the misguided public), I 
here acquaint them, that at page 495 of the 
Supplemental Apology for the Believers 
commences a postscript addressed to " T. 
J. M*tth**s, F.R.S., S.S.A., the author of 
the Pursuits of Literature ; " wherein Mr. 
Chalmers attacks and confounds him under 
the following heads : 



1. Proofs of your being the author of the Pursuits of 

Literature. 

2. Proofs of your impertinence. 

3. Proofs of your malignity. 

4. Proofs of your jacobinism. 

5. Proofs of your ignorance. 

6. Proofs of your nonsense. 

7. Proofs of your inability to write poetry. 

8. Proofs that you cannot write at all" 

After the establishment of the forego- 



297 

ing positions by Mr. Chalmers, which are 
proved from the subject-matter of the very 
popular work entitled Pursuits of Litera- 
ture, what has its author to state ? nay, 
what has he to do, 

" But, like the wounded viper, wreathe in death, 
And 'mid Cimmerian darkness yield his breath ?" 



LETTER, TO GEORGE CHALMERS, ESQ., F.R.S., 
S.S.A. 

Sir, 

As some years have transpired since I had the 
honour of seeing and conversing with you at Mr. 
S. Ireland's house in Norfolk Street, at a time 
when my since-proved unfortunate production of 
the Shakspearian papers excited universal regard and 
gained me general attention, it is more than pro- 
bable that I may have fallen totally from your re- 
collection. But you, sir, have not sunk from 
mine. The profundity of your learning, the acute- 
ness of your judgment, and the affability of your 
manners, can never be forgotten by me. Pardon, 
therefore, my obtruding myself thus publicly on 
your notice. There are few whose good opinion I 
am now highly solicitous to obtain; for long sub- 
jection to the unjustly severe censure of the world 
has rendered me to a great degree careless of its 
smiles. Tet, sir, there are a few whose favourable 
regard would still be pleasing to me : I would still 

o 5 



298 

feel gratification on the assurance of being restored 
to the place I formerly held in the estimation of 
those whom I unintentionally offended, — the gen- 
tlemen who yielded credence to the genuineness of 
the Shakspearian papers. Allow me, therefore, to 
make to you, sir, whom I hold the chief of these, 
the only amend I now can, — the expression of my 
hearty contrition, and the solemn assurance (for 
truth of which I refer to the numerous proofs 
adduced in the present work) that I was not im- 
pelled to the commission of that which has caused 
me so much sorrow by any mean or criminal mo- 
tive. It was at first to me the innocent exercise 
of a leisure hour in boyhood, to please an indul- 
gent parent and gratify a blameless vanity. The 
after dissemination, contrary to my desire, of those 
things which I had given in confidence, alone 
transformed the act from innocence to criminality. 
But I will cease to tare your patience by repeating 
what is scattered everywhere throughout the book 
at present before you. 

Before I take my leave, however, permit me to 
remind you of the wise old saying, that " out of 
evil frequently ariseth good," and to adduce one 
proof more cf its truth. Had my fabrication 
never existed, Mr. Malone would never have ob- 
truded himself on the public as the publisher of an 
Inquiry, and thus for once done good, by arousing 
vou, sir, to evince the result of your superior 
sagacity and research, to the utter confusion in- 
deed of Mr. Malone both as a critic and an anti- 



299 

quary, but to the enlightening of the world, whom 
you have instructed in Shakspearian criticism, and 
taught when to receive and when reject the prof- 
fered emendations of the many commentators on 
our immortal dramatist. The speciously-learned 
author of the Pursuits of Literature, too, but for 
the same cause would probably not have emitted 
his rancorous venom at you, sir; and thus he, 
likewise, might have escaped exposure. Tour 
complete overthrow of this pedantic gentleman 
is a benefit for which the literary world owes you 
many thanks : it will be placed next in rank to 
the confutation of the commentating Mr. Malone. 
The ill-raised fame of the Pursuits of Literature 
you have shaken to its sandy foundation: of the 
remembrance of that patch-work fabric 
"not a rack is left behind." 

To have been in any way the means of such 
good, almost compensates me for the injuries I 
have suffered, and should atone for many of my 
errors. Accept, I beg of you, sir, my hearty 
thanks for the pleasure, the knowledge, and im- 
provement I have received from your works ; and, 
if you can, forget, or tenderly judge, mine. In 
the ardent hope that I may yet not be deemed 
altogether unworthy your regard, I take the liberty 
of subscribing myself 

Your most obedient 

And very humble servant, 
1 1805, w. H, IBELAND, 



300 

GENERAL APOLOGY FOR THE PRODUCTION OFTHE^ 
SHAKSPEARIAN MANUSCRIPTS. 

I have been thus particular in every 
statement concerning my production of 
the papers, in order that it may be per- 
fectly understood I did not act upon any 
premeditated plan of deception, but was as 
it were unwittingly led into the error ; and 
when a man has yielded to falsehood in a 
single act, I believe it will invariably be 
found that he seeks a veil from detection in 
a continuation of the same impropriety. 
Whatever has been my fault, my judges 
unquestionably have not been lenient, nor 
did they justly weigh the motive and in- 
ducement before they decided on the act. 
It is full time the matter were placed in a 
just light ; it is time I should cease to 
endure the blighting censure of Malignity 
rather than the mild and convincing re- 
proof of Truth. 

If we descend to the lowest court of 
judicature in this country, I believe it will 
appear that crimes are appreciated ac- 
cording to circumstances ; that one man 



301 

guilty of murder suffers the judgement of 
the law in the forfeiture of his life, while 
another, who has equally bereaved a fellow- 
being of existence, is permitted to re-enter 
society upon the payment of a shilling. 
Upon these premises I shall ground my 
defence ; and under the following heads, 
endeavour to place my offence in that point 
of view in which every man would wish his 
own conduct to be regarded. — 

1st, I did not intend injury to any one. 
2dly, I really injured no one. 
3dly, I did not produce the papers from 

any pecuniary motives. 
4thly, I was by no means benefited by the 

papers. 
5thly, The gentlemen who came to inspect 
the papers have themselves alone 
to blame for the variety of pro- 
ductions which came forth after 
the fictitious deed between Shak- 
speare and Fraser. 
6thly, Being scarcely seventeen years and 
a half old, my boyhood should 
have in some measure screened 



302 

me from the malice of my perse- 
cutors. 
7thly, The reason why I have been so 
persecuted. 

First, / did not intend injury to any one. 

In the course of the preceding pages 
(under the head of the "Deed between 
William Shakspeare and Michael Fraser ") 
I have given a full statement of the fact that 
urged me to the production of that instru- 
ment, which was no other than a fervent 
desire I had to afford satisfaction to Mr. 
Samuel Ireland. I had then no idea of 
producing any other document : as a con- 
vincing proof of which, nearly three weeks 
elapsed ere I gave into Mr. Ireland's hand 
the profession of faith. Had I followed 
any premeditated plan, I should have taken 
special care to have had a sufficient quan- 
tity of the manuscripts ready for delivery ; 
whereas every paper given was composed 
upon the spur of the moment. — I will 
grant that vanity had a share in the busi- 
ness ; but had no fuel been heaped upon 



303 

the fire, the short-lived flame would have 
died away : and even so must it at any 
time have proved with my poor attempt 
to imitate the style of the most sublime 
genius that has ever graced this or any 
other country, had not the encomiums 
lavished on my productions constantly hur- 
ried me on in the track of literary false- 
hood. 

How then stands the account ? I began 
the fabrication in the belief that by an in- 
nocent delusion I could please one whom 
I was anxious to gratify, and the persua- 
sion (which I believe will be allowed not 
unnatural to a youth) that, if the deception 
were even exposed, the boldness of the at- 
tempt would have gained me praise for my 
ingenuity rather than censure for my de- 
ceit. — May it not therefore be concluded 
that I was not instigated by a desire to 
injure any one ? 

Secondly, / really injured no one. 

Under this head I must first state that the 
manuscripts were produced as the hand- 
writing of Shakspeare. Now even if we 



304 

for a moment grant that the penmanship 
had deceived, yet there is still an im- 
portant question to be decided : — was the 
language competent to deceive the public ? 
I answer unhesitatingly that it was not : 
consequently credence should not have 
been yielded by the believers so lightly, on 
the mere external appearance of the papers : 
they should have maturely considered the 
internal evidence; and then, as the spurious 
composition must have exposed itself, they 
would not have been deceived, and of con- 
sequence their mental faculties would not 
have been imposed upon. 

I will lay no stress upon the story deli- 
vered by me to Mr. Ireland, and the con- 
cealment of the supposed gentleman ; I 
will not speak of the redundancy of letters 
to be found in the spelling, which has em- 
ployed the erudite pens of Messrs. Malone, 
Waldron, Boaden, &c, &c. : but I will 
bring a stronger fact to bear me out ; for it 
is stated in the Inquiry, published by Mr. 
Malone, that the forgery was palpable to 
the meanest capacity, and that the flimsy 



305 

contrivance was to be seen through at the 
first glance. If so, I can have done no 
injury to any living creature ; for that 
which in itself was not capable of deceiv- 
ing any one, cannot perhaps, strictly speak- 
ing, be deemed a forgery : neither was it 
any injury to the reputation of Shakspeare 
as a poet. Now the former believers in 
the manuscripts being perfectly satisfied in 
their own minds, until Mr. Malone chose 
to inform them that they knew nothing 
about the matter, I do aver that it is at the 
said Mr. Malone they should level their 
shafts ; as I could not have injured them ; 
having, according to Mr. Malone, com- 
mitted no forgery. 

Thus then I reason : Those who inspect- 
ed the papers, with very few exceptions, 
were delighted on viewing them; conse- 
quently they received no injury. As to 
the individuals who did not think fit to 
view them, they can certainly have no 
cause for complaint, as their wits were not 
hoodwinked by the deception ; which was, 
in fact, the only injury to be sustained. 

o 5 



306 

Thirdly, I did not produce the papers from 
any pecuniary motives. 

As extravagance or cupidity are the 
usual incentives to the acquirement of 
wealth, and as gold is the mighty touch- 
stone of consciences in the present day, I 
shall content myself, in the first instance, 
with proving that I was then neither extra- 
vagant nor avaricious. — Every necessary 
that was requisite to existence was pro- 
cured me by Mr. Ireland ; and, as far as he 
deemed it requisite, I was encouraged in 
my pursuit after old books, &c. ; as he 
would frequently state his satisfaction on 
witnessing my expenditure of money in 
those pursuits, rather than in the frequent- 
ing of company. Green in years, 1 expe- 
rienced no incitements to dissoluteness ; 
and the hours allotted for my attendance 
at chambers (being from ten till three, 
and from five till eight) left me, indeed, 
little time for any plans of pleasure ; in 
addition to which, I was sufficiently en- 
gaged in the execution of the manuscripts. 



307 

Thus far on the score of extravagance. 
"With regard to cupidity : if such had been 
my motive, why did I not exact from Mr. 
S. Ireland certain stipulations ? why did I 
not, on the production of the first docu- 
ments, accept the offer of some of his 
valuable books, for I was a lover of such 
property ? why was I contented with the 
sum of ninety pounds for the Vortigern, 
when four hundred and three had been ac- 
tually received for my sole benefit? and, 
lastly, why did I give every thing to Mr. 
Ireland, without any reservation to myself, 
when I constantly heard it affirmed that 
the papers, if published, would prove a 
source of incalculable benefit ? On the con- 
trary, as before stated*, I was ever averse 
to the publication of the manuscripts ; be- 
ing fully aware that such was the only step 
which would throw a degree of infamy on 
the business, as the receipt of money would 
stamp it a pecuniary transaction. 

After these home facts, I trust it must be 

a _ — _ — — . 

* Fide the account under the head "Publication of 
the Miscellaneous Papers." 



303 

candidly confessed on all hands, Thai I did 
not produce the papers from any pecuniary 

Fourthly, / teas not benefited by the 

papers. 

In addition to the facts stated under the 
preceding head, respecting what apper- 
tains to pecuniary considerations, I must 
further allege, that, when the manuscripts 
were disbelieved, and that the most pointed 
aspersions were thrown out against Mr. 
Ireland's character, I had to encounter all 
the opprobrium which he and his friends 
chose to lavish upon me because I would 
not, because I could not, give the name 
of an original donor of the manuscripts. 
It was in vain I argued that I was bound 
on oath to preserve the secret inviolable, 
and recalled to Mr. Ireland's recollection 
the terms on which he wilhngly undertook 
to publish the papers : every representa- 
tion proved ineffectual : his character, he 
affirmed, was called in question ; it was in 
my power to extricate him, and I refused 



309 

to do so. Wearied at length with the per- 
secutions I endured, I took the resolution 
of quitting Mr. S. Ireland's house ; which 
event took place ere I had attained my 
twentieth year : since which period I have 
had to struggle against every opposition, 
and without the assistance of a single shil- 
ling from my family. By this step I of 
course violated my indenture with the so- 
licitor to whom I was articled : and it was 
indeed stated to me, by the late Albany 
Wallis, esq., of Norfolk Street, that I 
should never make any progress in the 
law, as all persons would imagine that I 
might forge deeds at pleasure, and would 
consequently be fearful of intrusting papers 
to my care. Besides these circumstances, 
a train of events were consequent on my 
quitting Mr. Ireland's mansion which have 
ever proved to me a source of the most 
painful contemplation. — Let me now ask, 
What is the benefit I have received from the 
papers ? The answer I shall leave to the 
breast of candour, and proceed to the fol- 
lowing head. 



310 

Fifthly. Trie gentlemen wl 

blame 
for ime 

Shah- 
l 

In treating of a variety of the papers 
produced, I have, in the preceding pag 
fully demonstrated that the conversation 
and questions of persons well stored with 
anecdotes of the period of Elizabeth and 
James frequently gave the hint of subjects 
my after employment. Here, there- 
fore. I need say little on the topic : but, 

in some sort connected with it, I shall 
note another instance of Mr. Malone's 
gross misconception and disgustingly os- 
tentatious egotism ; not to prove Mr. Ma- 
lone's incapacity as a general critic — this 
Mr. Chalmers has already done most com- 
pletely — but because his e: t this time 
is on a point to which it is impossible that 
any person except myself can speak with 
positiveness. 

In Mr. Malone's elaborate Inquiry he 



311 

has named certain works which the forger 
of the papers, he states, must have had re- 
course to ; and in page 117, speaking of 
the spelling of Shakspeare's name to the 
receipt for playing before lord Leicester, 
he very modestly, and with sweet apologetic 
compunction, says, " Mr. Steevens and my- 
self have most innocently led the fabricator 
of all these novelties into a lamentable 
error ! " &c. Now it happens, very unfor- 
tunatelv for Mr. Malone, that most of the 
books which he states to have been per- 
used by the forger were unknown to me, 
save by name, and many not even thus. 
And with respect to Mr. Steevens and 
himself, I must beg leave to acquaint the 
commentator that I have in general found 
his notes so contemptible, and (after Mr. 
Chalmers's Apology for the Believers and 
Mr. Bitson s Inquiry into his capability as 
an annotator) his research to be so very 
dubious, that I rather prefer reading the 
works of our immortal bard without his 
farrago of idle doubts and probabilities, 



312 

than lose the author's sense while rambling 
in the annotator's wilderness of nonsense. 
Perhaps, indeed, if I had consulted the 
notes in question, and produced every- 
thing coincident with the conjectures 
therein contained, the papers might have 
stood some chance of praise from the 
commentator : at least the forger might, 
for the attention he had then evidently 
paid to " my last edition of Shalcspeares 
works." 

Having thus added another proof to the 
enormous bulk already extant of the inca- 
pacity of Mr. Malone as a commentator, 
I shall dismiss the subject by repeating 
the assertion made at the beginning of 
this article, that not infrequently I was 
incited to the production of papers by the 
casual information obtained from the con- 
versation and queries of those persons in- 
specting the manuscripts who were conver- 
sant with the history of Shakspeare's age. 

Sixthly, Being scarcely seventeen years 



313 

and a half old, my boyhood should have in 
some measure screened me from the malice 
of my persecutors. 

In the introduction to these several 
heads of vindication I have asserted (what 
is, indeed, universally allowed) that when 
the atrocity or merit of a deed is to be de- 
cided upon, it is not enough to take the 
act itself into consideration : all its atten- 
dant circumstances (if I may be allowed 
so to speak) should likewise well be weigh- 
ed. In the foregoing pages I have endea- 
voured clearly to inform the reader of the 
steps which progressively led me to the 
commission of that which has brought on 
me such heavy censure. I have done so 
for the purpose of proving that I w r as at 
no time impelled by a criminal motive : 
I trust I have effected this, and that from 
the candid mind at least the weighty part 
of my offence will by this statement be 
wiped away. 

Mr. Hit son has stated, with his usual 
acrimony, that every literary impostor de- 
serves hanging as much as a common fe- 

p 



314 

Ion. I do not, however, remember his spe- 
cifying the age and intention of the fabri- 
cator. Had he been conversant with the 
process of my fabrication, he would per- 
haps have mitigated the punishment to 
transportation. However, should literary 
imposture be rendered cognisable to a cri- 
minal court of judicature, I fear many of 
our commentators would tremble for their 
own necks, and particularly if the law, as 
no doubt it would, should have regard to 
the offence of distorting the meaning of 
an author, or imposing on the world the 
fanciful suppositions of the commentator 
for the original language of the writer. 
With respect to Mr. Malone, he certainly 
was unacquainted with the person who fa- 
bricated the manuscripts on the publication 
of his Inquiry : he consequently was justifi- 
able in conceiving the whole to be the pro- 
duction of some individuals of mature age 
for the express purpose of gain. His intro- 
duction, therefore, of the name of Lauders, 
who was a man of science, and no boy, as 
well as of that of Psaknanazar, was per- 



315 

fectly consistent. I cannot, however, dis- 
cover any coincidence between my pa- 
pers and poor dame Theodosia Ivys deed, 
who expressly forged an instrument in 
order to establish her right to property 
which did not belong to her. I cannot ex- 
pect mercy from Mr. Malone ; but I scarce- 
ly think that he would have troubled him- 
self to make the researches contained in his 
Inquiry into my papers, had he known 
them to be the production of a boy of 
seventeen years of age. As I do not, 
however, intend to leave my case to the 
mercy of Mr. Malone, I candidly submit 
to a generous public, whether my age, 
and the causes leading to my fabrica- 
tion of the papers, should not be taken 
into consideration, and whether I may not 
be acquitted of every thing except boyish 
folly. 

I beg leave to state, that such was the 
light in which it was regarded by Albany 
Wallis, esq., who stated it as his decided 
opinion that Mr. Malone and the public 
ought rather to pass the business over as a 
r 2 



316 



boyish frolic (such was his expression), than 
continually heap odium upon 
daring and bold impostor. 



me as a 



Seventhly, The reason why I have been 
so persecuted. 

Under this head I may perhaps give 
offence to some individuals whose good 
opinion I would fain deserve : at any rate 
I shall duly appreciate the liberality of the 
literary world by simply stating that the 
very points to be adduced in extenuation 
of my fault, are the very reasons which 
operate in their minds to vilify and up- 
braid me. I was a boy — consequently they 
were deceived by a boy ; and the imposi- 
tion practised on their intellectual faculties 
was therefore the more galling. On the con- 
trary, had the papers been the production 
of a man of known science and learning, 
they then would have pardoned the abuse, 
because he would have been more on a 
level with themselves : and although they 
would have regarded him as a dangerous 
forger, they would have granted that he 



317 

was a a very clever man : whereas I have not 
only been vilified by the lovers of Greek 
and Latin as a bold fabricator, but even the 
smallest portion of praise, as to the lan- 
guage of the papers, has been scrupulously 
withheld ; and that for no other reason 
than because I was a boy. 



P3 



INDEX. 

Page. 

Academy, Mr. Harvest's, and infancy 1 

Acrostic on Geoffrey Chaucer 9 

on Chatterton 12 

on king Bichard the Second 206 

on queen Elizabeth 207 

on Mary queen of Scots 207 

on sir Philip Sidney 207 

on Henry prince of Wales 208 

on Dudley earl of Warwick 208 

on sir Eobert Dudley 209 

on lord Southampton 209 

on earl Eivers 210 

; [ on Shakspeare 211 

on maister William-Henry Irelaunde . . 211 

Acrostics , 206 

Admission ticket 182 

Advice of Mr. Wallis, and his determination. ... 247 

Affidavit drawn out by A. Wallis, esq 256 

, Mr. Talbot's required 258 

Agreement between Shakspeare and Lowin .... 103 

and Condell 104 

Agreement for the play of Vortigern 139 

Alterations made in the drawing 109 

Answer to further doubts 65 

of lord Southampton 79 

Anxiety on Mr. Ireland's account 255 

P4 



IXDEX. 

Page. 
Apathy 159 

Apollo and ATalone 189 

Apology, general one for the production of the 

Shaksperian manuscripts 300 

Application for purchase of Shakspeare's birth-place 26 
Appointment of Mr. Wallifl to become the deposi- 
tory of my secret 245 

Arms of Shakspeare and Ireland delineated .... : 

, junction of . . 231 
Articles entered into with Mr. Bingley of Xew Inn 5 

Avon, Mr. S. Ireland's Warwickshire IS 

Aurora 214 

Autographs, more, of John Heminges ........ 93 

Bassanio and Shylock the Jew 110 

Beauty, lines on 212 

Beauty's value 213 

Ben Jonson 193 

Berkshire, Mr. Ireland's return from 253 

Biographia Dramatica 175 

Black-letter Bible and Chatterton 12 

Bloody bishop Bonner 205 

Boaden, Mr., his letter to George Steevens, esq. . 273 

his pamphlet answered 276 

Bold expedient 89 

Bookseller and Chatterton 17 

Boswell, Mr. James 95 

Broken seal , . . . 106 

cemented 107 

Butler's parallel of Shakspeare and Jonson .... 215 

Canon's Chronicles 195 



INDEX. 

Page. 
Carlton House, Mr. Ireland's departure from . . 226 

Catholic, Shakspeare a * . • 57 

Cementing a broken seal 107 

Certificate subscribed by staunch believers of the 

manuscripts H^ 

Chandos picture, the 1^0 

Chalmers, George, esq., letter to 297 

on Heminges' signature 94 

Chapel in a garret • • 29 

Charge adduced against A. Wallis, esq 269 

, refuted.. 270 

Charnel-house, the 22 

Chatterton, acrostic on 12 

and the black-letter Bible 12 

and the bookseller 17 

Chaucer, Geoffrey 9 

, acrostic on 9 

Chivalry, love of 8 

Christian names William-Henry. . 229 

Churchyard's Worthiness of Wales 195 

Clarence, his royal highness the duke of 222 

Clopton House 27 

C*l*y, Mr 225 

Collet, Mr., and Edward the Fourth 84 

Commentator, the, commented upon 191 

Committee, the 239 

y second meeting of 240 

Composition, unstudied 58 

Concealment of the supposed donor's name .... 65 
Conclusions drawn from the alterations in Lear. 118 
Confession of the fact to Mr. Ireland by letter. . 259 

made to A. Wallis, esq 246 

P 5 



INDEX. 

Page. 

Consequences of the tour 45 

Conundrum, the witty 72 

, disquisitions on 73 

Copy of my letter to his grace of Southampton. . 78 

Cowley, maister, letter to 74 

his drawing 192 

Co vent- Garden theatre, Mr. H*rr*s of 136 

Crab tree 34 

Damning proof 88 

Death of F. Powell the pedestrian 36 

Deed, presentation of the 50 

Deed of gift to "William-Henry Irelaunde 233 

quotation from 234 

of trust to John Heminges 236 

Delineation of the arms of Shakspeare and Ireland 230 

Departure from Norfolk Street 253 

Determination to publish a statement of facts .. 261 

Devil, the, and Eichard 180 

Dignum, Mr 152 

Dilemma, the 41 

Dissatisfaction of Mr. Ireland 256 

Drs. P # rr and Wh # rt # n on the profession of faith 66 

Documents intended to have been produced . . . . 251 

Doubts in the composition of Vortigern 135 

Dramatis personam of Vortigern 143 

Drawing of Shakspeare, lines affixed to 194 

, purchase of in Butcher Eow 108 

alterations made in 109 

supposed to be of Bassanio and Shy lock 113 

Dream, a prosaic one poetised. 289 

Drury-Lane theatre, overflow of 142 



INDEX. 

Page, 

Duplicate copy of the tract . . . . , 199 

Dudley, sir Eobert, acrostic on 209 

Edward the Eourth and Mr. Collet 84 

Elizabeth, queen, acrostic upon 207 

Epigram on sir Thomas More 204 

Epilogue to Vortigern 150 

to Henry the Second 173 

Epitaph on Nell Eummin 203 

on William More 205 

Execution of the traitors, Shaksperian remark on 197 

Expedient, a bold one 89 

Expedition, remarkable 92 

Explanation of a sentence in- my second letter to 

Mr. Ireland 266 

Extra payment to maister Lowin 102 

Fabrication newly fabricated • 91 

Fact, confession of to Mr. Ireland by letter. ... 259 

Facts, determination to publish a statement of. . 261 

Final statement respecting Mr. Talbot 267 

Fire at Mr. Warburton's 181 

First acquaintance with Mr. Talbot 120 

First edition of Shakspeare's works in folio .... 202 

First idea of the play of Yortigern and Eowena 132 

First impressions 6 

First step 46 

Fondness for old armour L0 

Foreign gentleman and Lavater the physiognomist 272 

Forgery, discovery of by Mr. Talbot 122 

Formation of seals 48 

of letters 60 



INDEX. 

Page. 

Franklin, the late governor » . 241 

Fraser, Michael, and William Shakspeare 47 

Fruitless hunt 46 

Further doubts, answer to 65 

Futility of Mr. Malone's statement 112 

Gathering of a storm 238 

General apology for the production of the Shak- 

sperian manuscripts 300 

General opinions 61 & 81 

Gentleman, the supposed, searches after 224 

list of names made out for 242 

Gentleman's Magazine. 213 

Gentlemen, selection of two 243 

Goodhit 268 

Grant of arms * to Ireland 232 

Guy Fawkes instead of Guy Johnson 198 

Hair, a lock of 82 

Handbill, Mr. Malone's 141 

Hamlet, quotation from 23 

transcript of 119 

H*rr*s, Mr., of Covent-Garden theatre 136 

Hasty effusion upon an heraldic subject 231 

Hathaway, Anne, love-letter and verses to .... 81 

Heminges, John, promissory note to 85 

his receipt 86 

his original signature 86 

the tall and short ^ 89 

more autographs of 93 

Mr. Chalmers on his signature 94 

deed of trust to 236 

Henry prince of Wales, acrostic on 208 



INDEX. 

Page. 

Henry II., the play of 166 

, quotations from 168 

epilogue to 173 

publication of 176 

quotation from Mr. Ire- 
land's advertisement to 271 
Henry II., and Vortigern, printing of the plays of 164 

Hint, a second one 78 

His royal highness the prince of Wales. . .... 216 

Kolingshed's Chronicle 201 

H # wl*t, Mr., and John Hoskins the painter. ... Ill 

Hudibras, imitation of 214 

If true, what a conflagration ! 30 

Imitation of Hudibras 214 

Impromptu „ 74 

Incitements 55 

of vanity 69 

Infancy, and Mr. Harvest's academy 1 

Inquiry, Mr. Malone's „ . . . 287 

Ireland, Mr. Talbot's return from 125 

Ireland and Shakspeare's arms delineated 230 

, junction of .... 231 

Ireland, grant of arms to 232 

Mr. S., his Warwickshire Avon 18 

his box 144 

quotation from his pref . to Vortigern 155 

bis departure from Carlton House 220 

his letter 249 

his return from Berkshire 253 

message left by 254 

anxiety on his account 256 



LSDEX- 

Page. 

Ireland, 3Ir. S., dissatisfaction of. 256 

pressing letter from, to Mr. Talbot 257 

his incredulity 260 

second letter forwarded to 265 

sentence in 2d letter to, explained 2G6 

Lis prejudice 270 

quotation from his advertisement 
to Henry the Second 271 

Irelaunde, maister William-Henry, acrostic upon 211 

" deed of gift to 233 

Jordan, Mrs., her song , . . , 146 

just tribute of praise to 223 

the Stratford poet 19 

's manuscript 34 

Jug water-mark 71 

Kemble, Mr 156 

his conduct disapproved byMr.S — n 15S 
Ivnole, two of Shakspeare's letters discovered at 271 

Lavater the physiognomist, and foreign gentleman 272 

Laundress, the 77 

Leake, miss, her song , . 148 

Lear, quarto edition of. 116 

specimen of alterations made in 117 

conclusions drawn from alterations made in 1 1 8 
Leicester, lord, memorandum for playing before 100 

Letter, queen Elizabeth's 75 

Mr. S. Ireland's 249 

a second, forwarded to Mr. S. Ireland . . 265 
quotation from 205 



INDEX. 

Page. 

Letter, Mr. Boaden's, to GL Steevens 273 

to George Chalmers, esq 297 

Letters, formation of 60 

Library, the Shakspearian 194 

Lines on the flat stone covering Shakspeare's grave 2 3 

on the mind no longer oppressed 165 

upon Henry Patenson, sir T. More's jester . . 204 

on beauty/ , 212 

addressed to the prince of Wales 221 

to J. T. M*tth*as 293 

proved consonant with justice 295 
List of names made out for the supposed unknown 

gentleman 242 

Lock of hair 82 

Love and madness 11 

of chivalry 8 

Love-letter and verses to Anne Hathaway .... 81 

Lowin, maister, extra payment to 102 

Magazine, the Gentlemen's 213 

Malone, Mr., his statement 112 

his hand-bill 141 

his wish 191 

his Inquiry 287 

Manuscripts proved to be my own right 235 

Mary, queen of Scots, acrostic on 207 

M*tth*as, lines to J. T 293 

Memorandum for playing before lord Leicester . . 100 

Message left by Mr. Ireland 254 

Miscellaneous papers, publication of the 183 

Mixture of the Shakspearian ink 37 

Mortgage-deed, the original 54 



INDEX. 

Page. 

Moore, sir Thomas, his jester 203 

epigram on 204 

"William, epitaph on 205 

Names of the players in Shakspeare's dramas . . 102 

Nell Rummin . . . . 202 

, epitaph on 203 

New Place 24 

Night 215 

Norfolk Street, departure from 253 

Old paper, purchase of 70 

Old tapestry 97 

Oliver Cromwell, his relievo , 42 

Opinion hazarded 43 

of his royal highness the prince of Wales 219 

Opinions, general ones • 61 

on Vortigern 138 

Oppositions to the play of Vortigern 152 

Original mortgage-deed 54 

signature of John Heminges 86 

Otridge and White, Messrs., booksellers 200 

Overflow of Drury-Lane theatre 142 

Painful retrospection 248 

Palmer, Mr. John 162 

Pamphlet, mine, rarity of 263 

vindication of 263 

Mr. W*bb's 282 

Paper, a sheet of old 56 

Papers, my right to, disputed 228 

P # rr and Wh*rt*n on the profession of faith . . 66 



INDEX. 

Page. 

Parnassian visit 292 

Patenson, Henry, sir T. M ore's jester, lines upon 204 

P # ws*n, Mr., on the profession*of faith 69 

Penmanship, variety in 60 

Percy's ballads 10 

Persecution, renewal of 247 

Phillimore, Mr 153 

Plans of certain plays deposited in the hands of 

A. Wallis, esq 177 

Play of Henry the Second 166 

Playhouse receipts 99 

Powell the pedestrian, his death 36 

PoweU, Mrs 161 

Precipitate resolution 252 

Predilection for old books 7 

Prejudice of Mr. S. Ireland 270 

Prelude to a proof 129 

to the claiming what was my own 229 

Presentation of the deed 50 

Presentiment 149 

Prince of Wales, his royal highness the, opinion of 219 

lines addressed to 9 221 

Private interview with Mr. Talbot 128 

Private theatricals 2 

Profession of faith by John Shakspeare 56 

, William Shakspeare's 58 

Drs. P # rr and Wh # rt # n on the 66 

Prologue to Yortigern 144 

Promissory note to John Heminges 85 

Proof, a damning one 88 

Proofs that I alone am the author of the MSS. . . 131 

Prosaic dream poetised 289 



IXDEX. 

Page. 

Prospectus 185 

Purchase of a drawing in Butcher Row 108 

Purchase of old paper 70 

Publication of the play of Yortigern 163 

of Henry the Second 176 

of the miscellaneous papers 183 

of the pamphlet 262 

Queen Elizabeth's letter 75 

Quintin, the 52 

Quarto edition of King Lear 116 

Quotation from Hamlet 25 

from the play of Henry the Second . . 168 

from Mr. Talbot's letter 130 

from the deed of gift*. 234 

from my second letter to Mr. S. Ireland 265 
from Mr. Ireland's advertisement to the 
play of Henry the Second 271 

Barity of the tract relative to the conspirators . . 199 

of the pamphlet 263 

Receipt of John Heminges 86 

for the play of Yortigern and Eowena. . 160 

Receipts for the playhouse 99 

Relation of the charge adduced against Albany 

Wallis, esq 270 

Relation of the imprisonment and execution of 

the traitors 197 

Relievo of Oliver Cromwell 42 

Remarkable expedition 92 

Renewal of persecution 247 

Residence in France 4 



INDEX. 

Page, 

Besolution, precipitate one 252 

Betrospection, painful . . 248 

Rewriting one of Shakspeare's dramas 115 

Bichard II., acrostic upon 206 

Eings 84 

Bitson, the late Mr 226 

Bivers, earl, acrostic on 210 

Sam, why familiarly called so by Mr. Ireland . . 251 

Seal, a broken one 106 

, cemented 107 

Seals, formation of 48 

Searches after the supposed gentleman 224 

Second hint 78 

thought 79 

Second meeting of the committee 240 

Selection of the two gentlemen 243 

Series of dramas from William the Conqueror to 

queen Elizabeth 177 

Shakspeare, lines on the stone covering his grave 23 

his birth-place 25 

, application for the 

purchase of 26 

William, and Michael Fraser 47 

a catholic 57 

his profession of faith 58 

lines affixed to the drawing of ... . 194 

whole-length portrait of 201 

acrostic upon 211 

and Jonson, Butler's parallel of . . . 215 

and Ireland's arms delineated ..... 230 

, junction of ... . 231 



INDEX. 

Page. 

Shakspeare, two of his letters'discovered at Knole 271 

John, his profession of faith 56 

Shakspeare's dramas, names of the players in . . 102 

rewriting: one of them. ... 115 

works, first edition of in folio ... - 202 

Shaksperian ink, the mixture of 37 

library 194 

remark on the execution of the traitors 197 
MSS., general apology for the produc- 
tion of 300 

Sheet of old paper 56 

Sh # r*d # n, Mr., his opinion of Shakspeare 137 

his disapprobation of Mr. Kemble's 

conduct 158 

Shotery, village of 33 

Shrewd surmise of Mr. Talbot 121 

Shylock the Jew, and Bassanio 110 

Sidney, sir Philip, acrostic upon 207 

Signature, the original, of John Heminges .... 86 

Silk twist gf82 

Soho school t 3 

Song, Mrs. Jordan's 146 

miss Leake's 148 

Southampton, lord, copy of my letter to 78 

his answer 80 

acrostic upon 209 

Specimen of alterations made in King Lear .... 117 
Speech from the play of William the Conqueror 

imitative of Shakspeare 178 

Spenser's Faerie Queene 196 

Statement, Mr. Mabne's 112 

, proved futile 112 



INDEX. 

Page. 

Statement, a conclusive one, relative to Vortigern 165 

a final one, respecting Mr. Talbot . . 267 

Steevens, Mr. Boaden's letter to 273 

Steevens, the late Mr. George 227 

Storm, gathering of 238 

Story of the unknown gentleman 62 

Stratford church 21 

String 97 

Stupidity when a child 3 

St*rt, Charles, esq., M.P 154 

Substituting a blank for a date 101 

Superscription to Cowley's letter 74 

Supposed meaning of the Bassanio and Shylock 
drawing 113 

Talbot, Mr., first acquaintance with 120 

his shrewd surmise 121 

's discovery of the forgery 122 

's mysterious method of corresponding 123 

's return from Ireland 125 

voluntary offer of his literary abilities 126 
private interview with, and our agree- 
ment 128 

quotation from his letter 130 

pressing letter from Mr. Ireland to 257 

his affidavit required 258 

final statement respecting him .... 267 

Thought, a second one 79 

" Thus bad begins, and worse remains behind " . 62 
To the manes or the representative of the late 

earl of Charlemont 188 

Tour, consequences of 45 



INDEX. 

Page. 

Tract, a duplicate copy of 199 

Transcript of Hamlet 119 

Tribute of praise to Mrs. Jordan 223 

Validity attached to the manuscripts by the agree- 
ments between Shakspeare, Lowin, and Condell 104 

Vanity, incitement of 69 

Variety in the penmanship 60 

Village of Shotery 33 

Vindication of my pamphlet 263 

Visit, a Parnassian one 292 

Unknown gentlemen, story of the 62 

Voluntary offer of Mr. Talbot's literary abilities 126 
Vortigern and Rowena, first idea of the play of. 132 

doubts in the composition of 135 

opinions on 138 

agreement for 139 

dramatis personee of 143 

prologue to 144 

epilogue to 150 

oppositions to 152 

quotation from Mr. Ireland's preface to 155 

receipt for 160 

publication of 163 

conclusive statement relative to 165 

and Henry the Second, printing of . . 164 

Waldron, Mr 286 

"Wallis, A. 7 esq., plans of certain plays deposited 

in his hands 177 

appointment of to become the de- 
pository of my secret 245 



INDEX. 

Page. 

Wallis, A., esq., confession made to 246 

his advice and determination . . 247 

affidavit drawn out by 256 

charge adduced against 269 

, refuted 270 

Warburton, Mr., fire at his house 181 

"Warwick, Dudley earl of, acrostic on 208 

Water-mark, the jag 71 

W*bb, Mr., his pamphlet 282 

Wh # rt% and P*rr on the profession of faith . . 66 

White and Otridge the booksellers 200 

Whole4ength portrait of Shakspeare 201 

Why familiarly called Sam by Mr. Ireland. .... 251 

William- Henry, christian names 229 

Witty conundrum 72 

, disquisitions on the 73 



FINIS. 



) 



(r JO, 












Deacidified using the Bookkeeper process. 
Neutralizing agent: Magnesium Oxide 
Treatment Date: Feb. 2009 

PreservationTechnologies 

A WORLD LEADER IN COLLECTIONS PRESERVATION 

111 Thomson Park Drive 
Cranberry Township, PA 16066 
(724)779-2111 



